ali kemp murder
Matt Sedensky - Associated Press Writer
? A 29-yr-old Connecticut man was charged Tuesday with killing a teenager whose death gripped the region and prompted relentless efforts by the girl's family to find the killer.
Police force in Connecticut arrested Benjamin Appleby, of Bantam, Conn., on Mon, for the attempted rape and murder of Ali Kemp in Leawood on June eighteen, 2002. He afterward confessed to the crimes, co-ordinate to an affirmation filed by Connecticut Country Police.
On Tuesday, prosecutors in Johnson County charged Appleby with first-degree murder in the death of Kemp, a 19-year-one-time student at Kansas State University who was working at a swimming pool in the Kansas Metropolis suburb. Johnson County Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison said Kemp was strangled.
The girl's father, who found her body in the pump room of a neighborhood swimming pool, worked with government on the manhunt, helping to prepare upwards a $50,000 reward fund, and making the case the subject of billboards, "America's Nearly Wanted" segments, even advertisements in Usa Today. The case never fully faded from the public eye.
"It's simply a fiddling girl minding her own business organization and a predator went after her," said the victim'due south male parent, Roger Kemp. "I recollect that gets to people."
Phil Howes, a Kansas Academy senior who had dated Ali Kemp for v years before her murder, learned of the abort Tuesday morning when his mother called him in Lawrence.
"It's a bloodshot day," Howes said. "It's a great day because this guy is behind bars now, but that doesn't bring Ali back, and we however accept to bargain with that. We've been waiting for this day for 2 years."
Howes said in that location had been times when he worried a doubtable wouldn't be arrested, but he commended the diligence of the Leawood Police force Section and Roger Kemp for keeping his spirits upwards.
Appleby could face the decease punishment, Morrison said. He waived extradition to Kansas and is expected to arrive in the side by side few days, Morrison said.
Bond was ready at $1 1000000.
Ali Kemp, left, is pictured with Phil Howes during Howes' fraternity formal. Kemp'south body was found June 18, 2002, in the pump room of the Leawood pool where she worked. A suspect has been charged in the slaying.
Authorities said they received 2 tips on Appleby: i several months agone and one in the past ii weeks. They were amidst thousands of calls on the example received by law during the past 2 1/2 years.
"I never thought we wouldn't get this predator," said Roger Kemp. "And we got him. Nosotros wanted him and we wanted him bad. Nosotros say this is our guy."
State police picked upward Appleby on Mon on an unrelated warrant from 1997, when Appleby lived in Connecticut under the alias of Teddy Hoover Ii, police said. Those charges include chance of injury, hell-raising conduct and public indecency, land police said.
While in custody, Appleby was questioned nigh Kemp's expiry.
"He did provide information and evidence that caused Kansas detectives to conclude that this accused was to be charged," Connecticut Country Police said in a statement.
Appleby has been arrested several times in Missouri and was convicted on felonies including second-caste robbery and second-degree sexual misconduct, co-ordinate to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The Connecticut warrant application lists several other Missouri charges for Appleby.
Morrison said Appleby had family unit in the area and had a small pool-cleaning business organization when Kemp was killed. The Connecticut affidavit said Appleby's father lives in Kansas.
Leawood police asked authorities in Connecticut to become a DNA sample from Appleby to possibly match it with blood plant at the crime scene, including on Kemp'south shirt and bra, co-ordinate to the application for an arrest warrant.
Police accept that sample, Connecticut authorities said, merely testing was incomplete. Morrison would not comment about DNA evidence.
Kemp's killing still reverberates in her upscale Leawood neighborhood.
"We still pray about it," said Charlotte McGahan, 55. "It was just then tragic, it just hits yous hard."
Pecker Akright, 77, said his wife chosen him three times Tuesday to ask if he was watching television coverage of the developments in the murder case.
"When nosotros tell people where we alive, we say by the swimming pool where the girl was murdered," the retired accountant said.
The victim'southward family has set upward a foundation in her honor that gives scholarships to local students and offers cocky-defence force classes. They promise to somewhen offer the classes nationwide.
"Whatsoever begetter of any family would think their daughter was a saint," Roger Kemp said. "Ali was ours."
— Staff writer Mike Belt contributed to this story.
Source: https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/nov/10/suspect_charged_in/
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