| Irene Silverman | |
|---|---|
| |
| Age | 82 |
| Race | White |
| Sex | Female |
| Location | Manhattan, New York |
| Disappeared | July 5, 1998 |
| Missing for | 23 years |
| Height | 5' |
| Weight | 115 pounds |
| Classification | Presumed homicide |
Irene Silverman was a socialite who disappeared from Manhattan borough of New York City suspiciously in July 5, 1998. Her maiden name is Zambelli.
Case
Silverman was a wealthy ballerina who rented out her apartments to business people. Her disappearance prompted an investigation that led to two convictions.
Kenneth Kimes was a tenant at her pension when she disappeared. He moved in one of her apartments a month before she was last seen. It's believed that he and his mother, Sante Kimes, were con artists who monitored Silverman's accounts before Kenneth moved in. The mother-son duo was arrested on the day of her disappearance for a fraudulent check that amounted to $14900 for a Lincoln Town Car, they were later charged with her murder.
It's believed that Kenneth and Sante devised a scheme to steal her mansion. Evidence indicates that they wiretapped Silverman's phone and taped her conversations. It's believed that they smothered Silverman, smuggled her body out of her house and buried her remains by driving in their Lincoln car.
They were convicted in 2000. Sante was given 120-year sentence, Kenneth's sentence was for 125 years. Kenneth confessed to wrapping her body in a plastic bag and dumping her remains in a ditch in New Jersey but he continues to maintain that his mother was not involved in her murder. She died in prison in 2014.
