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And Then There Were None

One of my writing communities recently had a discussion about how many suspects you need to have in a mystery novel. Most people settled on four or five, but a few authors pointed out that you could write a story with only one viable suspect, as long as you kept the audience in suspense the whole time about whether he is guilty or whether the detective would be able to catch him. This is the Columbo model of storytelling, and it can be highly entertaining, especially if you have Peter Falk to pull it off.

In real life, investigators may winnow the field to just a suspect or two and yet still be unable to prove their case. The most fascinating example of this that I have come across is the murder of Diane Kyne. Diane Kyne was home one afternoon with just her husband, Bill, and her adult son, Kevin, when she was strangled to death. One of the men is surely her killer…but which one?

Who murdered Diane Kyne? It was one of two men, but we may never know which one. Photo credit: NBC News.

Both men called 911 to report the murder at roughly the same time, and each claimed the other one had killed Diane. The police arrived to find Bill and Kevin grappling on the lawn, accusing each other of murder. Investigation of the scene showed Diane dead in her bedroom, a victim of strangulation. There was a pair of glasses and a shoe nearby, and a few drops of blood on the bed near her body.

The son, Kevin, had a wicked temper. He had made violent threats against family members in the past, and the police had been out to the house previously when the fighting with Kevin grew out of hand. Kevin had been kicked out of the house before, but Diane let him back in. Rumor had it she was considering removing him again, possibly for good. Forensic investigation revealed that the sandals found near Diane’s body had Kevin’s DNA on them, and the drops of blood near her body belonged to him.

The husband, Bill, did not go check on his wife after he had found her not breathing…possibly because he knew she was already dead. Diane was strangled to death, and it was Bill’s DNA, not Kevin’s, that was found on her neck. Bill seemed to have the stronger motive for murdering Diane: he stood to collect $750,000 in insurance money after her death. And Bill had experience in this department! He had already collected $250,000 in insurance money following the strange death of his first wife. Wife #1 had supposedly awoken in the night, wandered out into the pool area, somehow hit her head, and drowned. Her death was ruled an accident.

The police eventually arrested Kevin for Diane’s murder, and he was initially convicted and sentenced to life in prison. At a second trial, however, the jury ruled Kevin not guilty. Prosecutors are reluctant to retry the case a third time.

By all accounts, Bill and Kevin despised one another, so it’s improbable that they conspired to kill Diane. This leaves us with a situation where both men know the truth, and yet we from the outside cannot definitively spot the liar. Out of the 7 billion people on the planet Earth, Diane Kyne’s killer can be narrowed to a population of just two men…but that’s all it takes for the guilty party to walk free.

What do you think? Was it Bill or Kevin?

76 Responses to “And Then There Were None”

  1. Amanda

    Totally the husband! He knew a sweet set-up when he saw it. Pin it on the hot-headed son and collect the money!(Which is, I assume, what actually happened?)

    • Joanna Schaffhausen

      Yeah, for my money, that is what happened. I don’t know that he planned to try to pin it on the son ahead of time, but I think he grabbed the opportunity when it came along.

      • Cheryl

        I know this is late but here is my take. It was the perfect storm. Dad knew how Kevin was And took advantage of it. Kevin’s glasses and slippers were in there because of the fight that Bill and Kevin had and that is probably why there was blood. I believe Kevin was so scared he kept running. why didn’t bill go back in the house with his wife? What did Kevin have to gain by his mothers death? He wasn’t getting the money the other family didn’t like him at all and if you listen to the interview I believe it was Bill that didn’t want Kevin home not his mother. Trust me being a mother I would never kick my son out. I think dad didn’t want Kevin there so Kevin‘s mother could have an accident. To me it’s dead hands down. Good stepfather Will have something positive to say even in the darkest hour this man has never said anything good about Kevin and that’s very concerning. I want to how many fights they were about Kevin. Maybe Bill was getting the boot.

        • Ashley

          Yeah. If someone was harming your wife or husband or whomever, why would you spend so much time chasing them and fighting with them? Why would you give a crap if they ran out the door? It makes more sense to check on your wife and see if you can help her? Why not IMMEDIATELY call 911 for help?

    • Jay Branson

      Hello,

      Everyone is quick to judge. I don’t believe either of the two in regards to the full story. In reasonable doubt world I believe they both should walk free. However, for us locals here. The son is still on the highway to hell. The son got locked up again for nearly murdering a guy at a bar in a felony assault. I remember the judge last comment. “Don’t let me see you in my courtroom again”. The artciles is from 2 years ago.

      https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/kevin-kyne-found-not-guilty-of-mothers-death-is-back-in-jail-after-pool/2294410

      Also, the husband never left. The husband went to every trail and court date. He is also still holding the family together. He didn’t take the money and run and remarry.

      • Ben Jacobs

        Actually he did…..he married another lady Tonya Grass….who has since died

  2. Michelle

    I’m with Amanda. Husband. DNA on her neck and another wife died mysteriously? Why’d they charge the son and not the father? If I’ve learned anything from all the crime shows it’s that if one wife dies accidentally it’s probably an accident but if TWO or more wives die then it’s always the husband. (Or wife)

    • Joanna Schaffhausen

      Right?! Like, you can have one dead spouse with suspicious circumstances, but two is really pushing it. Plus, it turns out he collected insurance money from two separate fires as well. He had something of a cottage industry going…

    • NK

      Now there is three dead wives?

  3. Mary

    Do you know if the insurance company actually paid out that $750,000 in insurance? Because I bet they’d rather send it to Bill Gates or hand it over to someome panhandling at a freeway exit.

  4. Susan D.

    The husband did it.
    Forensic evidence on Diane’s neck,
    Failed lie detector test
    Biggie: Her body was cold … impossible that he saw step-son killing her.

    • Kimberly Miles

      I agree! The husband. The thing I can’t get past is how he never went back to check on her! Who does that? If the wine was truly guilty and was strangling her, he already knew the guilty party….why chase after him when you can be with your wife. What if some chest compressions could have brought her back. Either way, I wouldn’t have left her alone in the room to run after someone who lived in my house! It wasn’t a stranger that would disappear without a trace.
      That and she was cold….she had been dead for a while. Sad…

    • Jess

      As fascinating as the article is. It lacks some key things. He can not be retried after being found not guilty Ever. So there will never be a 3rd trial. Her son’s blood was found on her body and sandals. hello??
      Of course her hubby’s dna was on her body. You failed to mention that hubby’s dna was also found on her cheek and lip too. Which would be more consistent with affection not murder….
      I can not stand inaccurate reporting! Do your research people!!

      • Julie

        Kevin can’t be tried again but BILL CAN! I believe he’s the killer for many reasons…has he found wife #3 yet? Maybe not until his insurance money has run out. He also had a house burn down!

        • William

          Wife #3 Tonya Grass died July 17

        • Amy

          Yep, third wife, Tonya Grass, just died July 22, 2017. She was also the director of his new business. I wonder who the fourth one will be?

          • Tim

            Yes Tonya signed over her house to Bill in order to start the foundation and her life insurance went to him. I’ve known her and her family for over 30 years. Bill is a user.

          • Amy

            Absolutely he is a user and a killer. How he has gotten away with all the illegal things he has done amazes me.

          • Mary

            What did Tonya die of?

          • AB

            His 3rd wife died after a long battle with cancer. Detectives clearly thought the evidence pointed to the son. They and the prosecutors spent more time on the case than Dateline viewers and reviewed more evidence than viewers. I wasn’t there & don’t pretend to know who killed her BUT, I am shocked at the number of people that can feel so certain of something after watching a tv show less than 1 hour!?!?

          • Kari

            Probably should be noted that his third wife passed away from CANCER. Because there are a lot of comments on here very suggestively saying “his third wife died too” “can’t be a coincidence 3 times” etc. Don’t know for sure what happened with the first 2 wives. He very well could be guilty of murdering his second wife but to imply that the third wife died because of his actions is simply false and inflammatory.

      • Don

        Jess, also bill in 2017 lost his 3rd wife. You still sticking to the story that he is innocent? Do your research Jess and open your eyes! Did the stepson kill his other 2 wives?

        • Amy

          Tim, maybe if you contact Pinellas County Sheriff’s office with the information you just shared, it will reopen Diane’s investigation and all the other events where he collected insurance? Unless you have already done.

      • Valeri

        OK, clarification, the third trial would not be against Kevin, the son since he has been exonerated but rather against the husband Bill…FYI I was an alternate juror that sat through the first trial before being told I was an alternate and I was so angry at the guilty verdict…I could not find motive which as a High School Law teacher should exist. Also the drops of blood they kept mentioning were easily explained by the fact that Kevin had recently had brain surgery and still had stitches in his shaved head at the time of the incident. Finally, the simple fact that he did not go into the room to check on his wife speaks volumes…he knew she was dead because he did it!

        • valerie

          One last thing…nothing about a previous wife mysterious death and insurance money was ever mentioned however he also had a mysterious fire destroy a business where he collected a tidy sum as well…Bill is a shady character who I truly believe got away with Murder, probably twice!

      • Michelle

        Think you should do your research too! The husband is a trainwreck living off of one tragedy after another! It couldn’t be more obvious as to who committed this murder.

      • Steve

        Are you serious? Are you truly that niece? God I hope not.

  5. Marilyn s

    I am watching this story on I’D now—I believe the husband did it for two main reasons–his first wife died of unnatural causes and he got an insurance pay out in that case and then it happens again with wife #2-another insurance pay out and this time the hot tempered son is a perfect scapegoat and #2, he never went back to check on his wife–as someone else said, who does that?? Looks like the husband fooled the cops—

    • Susan B Nilsen

      I completely agree that Kevin is innocent. Bill couldn’t stand him. Kevin was a lazy brat but he was raised that way. Why would he kill the only person who would support him for the rest if his life. Bill tried to force Kevin out legally twice. Diane just spent $10,000 dollars in inventory the wasn’t working as fast as she liked. She also had been depressed and rarely came out of her room until right before she died. She wen’t on a cruise with Bill and of course you have to smile in a picture. It made Diane seem happy but she was far from that. It was perfect time for Bill to get rid of two birds with one stone forever.

  6. Margie kinlaw

    The husband did it!

  7. Cinee Frank

    He killed his mother. Watch the videos of teenagers who commit mass murders when they calm down they are polite and respectful when they are standing before the judge worrying about their freedom. He was disrespectful to his mother and cursed her out on several occasions. Just because his lawyers cleaned him up and he spoke polite doesn’t make him innocent remember his mother thought she could help him too. That is his killer charm that got her killed. The prosecution should have got him a psych evaluation cause clearly did not show remorse over the death of his mother. He will show his anger again with someone else in the future I just hope no one else will get killed

  8. Brenda Bickford

    Did anybody else notice that Bill kyne kept saying “The woman I was going to grow old with!!! Not..the woman I love my beloved wife…He did it!!! Why aren’t they prosecuting him?

  9. Tonya

    The husband did it.

  10. Donna Nowak

    I agree the husband did it too many Insurance checks. Plus how did he know she was dead he’s going to chase after Kevin and fight with him like the other person said it’s not like it was a stranger this guy is a sociopath very dangerous. Lookout wife number 3. Also when’s the last time Bill had a job? If I was Kevin I’d sue him for that money. Bill will fly through that money like shit through a goose he’ll need another insurance job soon enough.

    • Cynthia Posey

      The husband had already gotten money from 3 insurance payments, with the first being his first wife, sure he killed her too! It is very clear when he met Diane looking for another fish to fry, yep!! He will pay in the end, we all know that, let him enjoy that money, nothing is worth the judgement he will get🙈

  11. Julie

    I just watched last night. This is definitely a very confusing story, one I’m sure we only got bits and pieces of. I’m curious…why was son put on trial and not the husband? I don’t know much but in my opinion, there was equal, if not more, evidence against the husband in this case. His first wife died of an apparent “accident” that no one witnessed. He was the beneficiary to a $750,000 insurance policy. He has also collected on other “accidents”. The son accused him of it. His DNA was on her neck!! Come ON! I get that a person is innocent until proven guilty but why was he never forced to defend himself in court of law. Prove his innocence just like the son did? This is very disturbing to me.

  12. William

    A third wife (Tonya Grass) died July 2017.

  13. Thomas

    The lady sitting by Bill during Kevin’s retrial died in July 17, her and Bill were running a non-profit company and he collected insurance upon her death. So that makes three…

    • tulip

      Seriously? Aren’t any authorities looking into this obvious grifter who looks like the stereotypical meathead, Joey Buttafuoco? And wife #3 is now dead?

      Florida does have a (fair or not) reputation for being willing to accept payment for favors, digging in their heels on a guilty verdict even when it’s known the person is innocent (just as Texas does), or being completely biased and not bothering to hide it. This is one of those cases where I’d be looking into the DAs bank account.

      Please keep us informed as to how #3 is treated by the law enforcement and legal communities. I’m afraid it’ll be more of the same.

    • Amy

      For sure. When I saw pictures of a women sitting next to Bill Kyne in Kevin Kyne’s trial, I figured she would be his next victim. SO SAD!!! Why doesn’t the authorities do something about this? I heard he lawyered up after Diane Kyne’s murder and Kevin Ky was an easy target with no money for a lawyer.

      • Michelle

        She wasn’t his next victim she died from cancer.

        • Jeff

          Yes, but like Amy said he knew she had Stage IV Cancer. No one lives long after having Stage IV, so he again had a nice pay day by collecting her insurance money.

  14. Matthew Williams

    I’ve met Kevin a few times we had a mutual friend and I do not believe him capable of murder

    • Amy

      I agree. Kevin needed his mom to support him. She had no life insurance money for him but Bill Kyne sure did. $750,000.

  15. Elaina B Rethemeyer

    You can tell Kevin has psychosis. There is no doubt in my mind that Kevin is guilty. I have 2 brothers that snap and I can see it in Kevin’s eyes. His 911 call sounded suspiciously like Kevin was running away without any emotional attachment to the situation. At least the father called 911 immediately and sounded sincerely emotional, at his wife’s side. Watch the interviews and listen to the 911 calls before rushing to judgement. Even Kevin’s family hates him for killing Diane. Except his sweet little grandma.

    • Amy

      WOW!!! To all the ladies out there do not marry Bill Kyne and/or go into business with him!!! His first two wives, Krista Kyne and Diane Kyne, died suddenly and now his third wife died not long after he says he found the love of his life AGAIN. I am willing to bet he collected life insurance after she died too. She did not die suddenly as Bill’s first two wives but after reading parts of his book he just wrote, “Love That Lasts a Lifetime”, he knew she had Stage IV Cancer when he met her and after she created a non-profit business, KG True North, in which Tonya became the Director. I am sure Bill convinced her to have reconstructive breast surgery and she had altitude sickness from living in Denver but he moved her there permanently in her best interests? Bill just seems to have the worst luck ever since he has lost three out of three wives within the last 18 years!!!! He has benefited financially from all three dead wives and now he has written a book about it so he can make more money off of their deaths. UNREAL!!! The title of the book is “Love That Lasts a Lifetime” which is ironic since the women he says he has loved sure have short lifetime spans. He should have been charged and tried for his second wives murder especially after the son was found innocent then maybe Tonya would still be here. Where is the justice? Who’s next, Bill?

      • Michelle

        I can’t some people here believe it was the son. It disturbs me that it isn’t obvious to everyone of what a creep Bill is. Everything about him is sketchy! Ok, wife #1 dies and he collects insurance, fire of his business and he collects insurance, another fire (forget where) he collects insurance, wife #2 dies he collects insurance, and then wife #3 dies he collects insurance (and her beautiful home)! Do the people accusing Kevin notice a pattern with Bill? How’s the saying go? “If it quacks like a duck, it’s a duck!” This guy is a dangerous man whose livelihood is personal tragedies that e has clearly caused!

    • Amy

      Check the facts on Diane Kyne’s murder. Kevin was trying to call 911 out in the front yard where he ran to get away from Bill. Bill was trying to knock the phone out of Kevin’s hand’s. Kevin then ran to neighbors to ask to use their phone. Kevin actually called 911 the same time as Bill. Bill called 911 from the kitchen and never went back to the bedroom to check on Diane. He just sat there waiting for the police. Most, if not all, people in that situation would run to the bedroom to help save her but Bill already knew she was dead. I think Bill planted Kevin’s shoe, glasses, and the bit of blood that he got from fighting with Kevin near the bed. Only Bill’s DNA was around Diane’s neck, none of Kevin’s DNA was anywhere on her.

      • Michelle

        I was thinking the same thing about Bill planting the glasses and shoes! I think he knocked them off of him when trying to strangle him and then picked them up and lobbed them
        Into the room after Kevin ran from him.

    • Amy

      You are wrong about Kevin’s family. Once Kevin was released on ROR twice before his trial (which is almost unheard of when someone is charged with First Degree Murder to get out on ROR at all) he was sent to stay with his father, Karl Karakash, who supported Kevin along with all the Karakash’s.

      • Jer

        Yea I’m sure Kevin and his dad were super close before the murder. So close that Kevin had his name changed to Kyne. He may be innocent, but just bc his dad is in the picture doesn’t mean all his family welcomed him back or believe him.

  16. Amy

    I also heard, but don’t know if it’s true, that the same police detectives that handled the case of Krista Kyne’s death also handled Diane Kyne’s death.

  17. Amy

    I research Bill Kyne extensively after his second wife died and he is not the outstanding business man or a religious man at all.
    Another fact. Krista Kyne and Diane Kyne both died in the same home and Bill was there both times, apparently clueless on what was going on in his home. Bill Kyne aka William E Kyne III has a lengthy criminal record which includes burglary, etc. before 2000 and then his first wife died. Then his business burned down and other real estate he collected insurance money on. Then he collected on Diane’s insurance money 10 years later for $750,000. Why would he ever need that much money if his Diane died? They had no children and the house was paid for. He certainly wasn’t going to support Kevin. He hated Kevin even being there. I can see the first wife because they had five children together, but the last two are suspicious especially when they are over a quarter of a million dollars. I don’t understand why Bill wasn’t investigated further especially after Kevin was found innocent in the end.

  18. Amy

    Who has three wives that die in 18 years; a criminal history go
    which includes domestic violence, restraining orders, grand theft larceny, top of numerous traffic infractions included DUIs that go back to the 70’s; on top of multiple insurance claims on his business and some properties and is never investigated; and then publishing a book about his wives less than a year after the last one died? William Kyne. How can all these devastating tragedies happen to one man in an 18 year period? They all seem to happen when William starts having financial difficulties. BTW all this information can be found free at the Pinellas County Clerk of Court website and other internet sites. I am sure he is on the hunt for a fourth wife now or not long after his money runs out.

  19. Schlemdingledorf

    Kid with a temper speaks volumes

    • Amy

      Bill has a horrible temper too along with abusing alcohol and drugs for years. Check out his rap sheet.

  20. Matt

    It was that slime bag husband, didn’t he also have a daughter outside from this marriage, they both are the killers, she’s supports her dad…

  21. Matt

    It was not the Son, he still loved his only blood related mother, it’s the husband, so cold blooded his breath was out completely, exhausted from. Strangling wife and then on son…

  22. Don

    You ever heard of planting evidence? The son had just come home from a tumour being removed from his head, you don’t think he was bleeding a lot? plus this was the 2nd wife who died not to mention 2 major fires to his businesses. Perhaps you should do some investigating, hmmm.

  23. Maureen Duzs

    Maybe they were in on it together and agreed to share the proceeds from the life insurance. All the defense attorney has to do is create some doubt in the mind of just one juror for a not guilty verdict. Son says stepdad is guilty and husband says stepson is guilty. Only Diane, God and the murderers know. Very sad case.

    • Amy

      If that were true about splitting the money, why has Kevin been broke ever since he was arrested and he still is. William Kyne spent all the money. Check his history on needing money and then wives dying.

  24. Leah

    I actually just watched this case on ID’s Blood Relatives and the entire time I believed it was the husband. I was shocked when they arrested Kevin. I mean the husband didn’t like Kevin, he preferred his own son – so the opportunity to frame him would have been perfect. And again, the insurance money, they were struggling for money with the real estate crash and the husband become annoyed with Diane = Easy money. He’s probably done it before to wife No.1

    Coincidentally, the first wife also died in that same house.

    • Amy

      Yep, both his first and second wife died in the same house while he was home. He met and started dating second wife, Diane, just a few months after losing the “Love of His Life”.

    • Michelle

      Yeah ,the first wife died in the same house by the pool in the middle of the night! I’ve lived in my house for 15 years and have never once been out cleaning my pool or anything else next to it in the middle of the night while my kids and husband slept! Not suspicious at all!

      • AB

        Well, I guess since YOU have never gone out by your pool late at night in 15 years then there’s no way any other person would?!?! Come on! Why does Baskin Robbins sell 30 other flavors of ice cream besides YOUR favorite?

  25. Donna Nowak

    Keep the step kids away from Bill. Check 4 new insurance policies often!

  26. Bob George

    So another interesting thing to look into. Bill’s current non-profit list Him, Tonya Grass (deceased) and Susan Elkins of 2113 SPRUCEFIELD ROAD Columbus Ohio. Now if you google that address it belongs to a Susan L Elkins and says she is currently 57 years old. Well there is an obituary for a Susan Lynn Elkins that died in Columbus at the age of 54 on May 27th 2016 (which means she would be 57 if still alive). The other thing to note if you look at the paperwork for the non profit, it was filed Sept 15th 2016. If this is the same Susan Elkins she was dead months before the non profit was started and as you need a minimum of three individuals to constitute an LLC, the entire organization is fraudulent.

    • Amy

      Great information on his “non-profit” business. He claims he has been doing non-profit his whole life. Yeah right!!!! What a joke!!!

  27. Cheryl

    William Kyne arrested for intentionally hitting a group of bicyclists with his motorcycle, injuring Dr. Lane Ziegler and leaving the scene. One of my co-workers was amongst the group of bicyclists that witnessed this horrendous crime.
    https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/aggressive-motorcyclist-who-swerved-into-bike-lane-on-gulf-blvd-arrested/1987090562

  28. Amy

    William E. Kyne arrested on May 7, 2019. He’s showing his true self to the public. So far, he just got a small charge but I am hoping this might help bring up all his evil past doings that he has gotten away with for years. Here’s the article https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/william-kyne-accused-by-stepson-in-wifes-2010-murder-arrested-in-collision-with-bicycle-20190508/

  29. Nancy

    Bill did it. He comes off shady, especially with the death of his first wife, that was weird. He Didn’t check on his wife because he killed her. He kept calling Kevin to go see his already deceased mom, whose body was starting to get cold, so he can say he saw Kevin over her. And Bill’s daughter was just blowing smoke up the interviewer’s butt. Of course she will say anything for her dad, and how was her relationship with her mom who tripped and fell and drowned. Bill flunked the lie detector test.

    • Nancy

      How did Bill know how Diane died, he told the dispatcher that Kevin strangled his wife….

  30. Maria

    I believe Bill killed his wife for the money and framed his stepson. Kevin needed his mom. He didn’t benefit from killing her. Kevin said he was laying on the couch when Bill tapped him on the head twice. Kevin has a scar on his head and said it was still hurting or something like that. Was it a fresh wound that when Bill tapped Kevins head..”saying Kevin your mom is calling you(twice). Doing so Kevins blood got on Bills fingers which he then splattered on Diane?!? This to me is how Kevins blood got on Dianes body. Seems like Bill knew what he was doing.

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