Sante Kimes
Sante Kimes was an American criminal best known for her conviction in the 2000 murder of New York City socialite Irene Silverman and for a later California murder conviction in the death of businessman David Kazdin.
Sante Kimes was an American criminal best known for her conviction in the 2000 murder of New York City socialite Irene Silverman and for a later California murder conviction in the death of businessman David Kazdin. She was tried with her son, Kenneth Kimes, in a case that drew intense media attention and resulted in lengthy prison sentences. Kimes died in prison in 2014.
Early life and background
Sante Kimes was born in 1934 and later became associated with a long criminal career involving fraud, theft, and other offenses. Sources describe her as part of a grifting partnership with her son, Kenneth Kimes.
Criminal cases and convictions
Kimes was convicted in New York in connection with the disappearance and killing of Irene Silverman, and later in California for the murder of David Kazdin. Court records and news reports describe additional convictions for robbery, burglary, forgery, weapon offenses, and related crimes.
Sentencing and imprisonment
After the New York trial, Kimes received a sentence totaling more than 120 years, and after the California case she received life imprisonment without parole. She remained in prison until her death in 2014.
Public attention and media coverage
The Kimes cases were widely covered because of the unusual mother-son partnership, the missing body in the Silverman case, and the range of alleged schemes and violent crimes. The story was later adapted in books and television coverage.
Key facts
- Sante Kimes was convicted in 2000 for the murder of Irene Silverman, whose body was never found.
- She and her son Kenneth Kimes were also convicted of robbery, burglary, forgery, conspiracy, and other charges in that case.
- In 2004, Kimes was convicted in California for the murder of businessman David Kazdin.
- Her criminal history included earlier fraud-related offenses and a 1980s conviction involving undocumented Mexican women kept as domestic servants.
- Kimes died in prison in 2014 while serving sentences of over 120 years in New York and life without parole in California.
Her case is mainly of interest to Canadian readers as a widely reported North American true-crime story that drew international media attention and was later covered in television and print features.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Sante Kimes?
What was Sante Kimes convicted of?
Was Sante Kimes convicted with her son?
Did police ever find Irene Silverman's body?
How long was Sante Kimes sentenced to prison?
When did Sante Kimes die?
References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sante_KimesSupports: Birth year, death date, prison death, and overview of convictions and sentences.
- New York Courts — https://www.nycourts.gov/Reporter/3dseries/2006/2006_09134.htmSupports: New York conviction details, charges, and affirmation of evidence supporting conviction.
- Los Angeles Times — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-26-me-kimes26-story.htmlSupports: Background on the Kimes criminal history and New York sentencing.
- Encyclopedia.com — https://www.encyclopedia.com/law/law-magazines/sante-and-kenneth-kimes-trial-2000Supports: Trial summary, verdict counts, and sentencing in the Silverman case.
- NBC News — https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/-sante-kimes-murder-conviction-disappearance-elmer-holmgren-rcna189733Supports: Later reporting on the Kimes case, separate California murder conviction, and death in prison.
- ABC7 New York — https://abc7ny.com/post/sante-kimes-part-of-mother-son-team-that-killed-nyc-socialite-dies/70466/Supports: Death in prison, California conviction, and prior criminal history including forced labor-related conviction.