The death of Carol Kennedy in 2008 was considered one of the most notorious murders in Prescott, Arizona. Carol, the former wife of a renowned stock broker, was found beaten to death in a pool of blood at her home on a July evening by authorities.
During the ensuing investigation, authorities targeted the ex-husband Steven DeMocker using circumstantial evidence. They believed the murder was fueled by a financial motive, given that the couple had only finalized their divorce a few months before the incident. Steven was found guilty more than five years later following a delayed trial.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered chronicles Carol Kennedy's horrifying death in an episode titled The Mystery on Bridle Path. The episode is slated to re-air on Oxygen this Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 7 pm ET.
The official synopsis of the episode states:
"In the town of Prescott, Ariz., Carol Kennedy returns from an evening jog and calls her mother for their nightly chat; the call ends abruptly and so begins the mystery on Bridle Path."Arizona-based artist Carol Kennedy was beaten to death by a golf club in her Prescott home
On the evening of July 2, 2008, Carol Kennedy was fatally struck while conversing on the phone with her mother, who resided in Nashville. The incident took place inside her Prescott home in Arizona. Carol's mother reportedly heard her scream, "Oh, no!" over the call before it got disconnected. Her mother and other family members then called 911 after their failed attempts to reach her.
At the crime scene, authorities discovered Carol in a pool of blood with her skull crushed by at least seven strikes to the head. Later, the medical examiner confirmed that the blows resembled that of a golf club. The ensuing investigation further revealed a solid murder motive and a ton of circumstantial evidence, and although the golf head cover was found, the alleged murder weapon was never located.
Authorities initially suspected the victim's rumored partner, Jim Knapp, who had a solid alibi at the time but committed suicide after a few months. The second suspect to surface was her ex-husband Steven DeMocker, who claimed to have been out on a bike trail near Carol Kennedy's house that same evening. Phone records also revealed that he was unreachable at the time of the murder.
Carol Kennedy's ex-husband Steven DeMocker was the prime suspect in the case and was eventually convicted
Authorities alleged that Steven was to gain a significant amount of money from Carol's life insurance. They also learned about the former couple's divorce about two months before the murder and that he was expected to pay $6,000 monthly in alimony payments and also had a growing debt.
Authorities discovered shoe prints behind Carol's house that matched a pair Steven formerly owned, along with tire tracks that were identical to the bike he was riding at the time. Moreover, he had scratches on his body.
While searching Steven's home, authorities realized that one of his gold clubs was missing from the collection, which was likely the murder weapon. His internet history also revealed his prior searches, which included "how to kill someone and make it look like a suicide."
After a few delays, Steven DeMocker was eventually found guilty by a jury during a second trial in 2013 on multiple counts, including first-degree murder, burglary, tampering with physical evidence, and other charges, in ex-wife Carol Kennedy's murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with an additional ten years without the possibility of parole and is currently serving time at the Arizona State Prison.
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