The Murder of Ali Kemp
I watched another episode of Hometown Homicide for this case, it’s season 1, episode 6 titled ‘I Will Find You.’ It’s about a father’s search for his daughter’s killer.
Background
Ali Kemp was a 19 year old Kansas State student when she murdered by a complete stranger. Her father described her as ambitious, hard-working, beautiful and loving. Ali was very involved in her high school, and was a honor student in both high school and college. While she was home in Leawood, Kansas for the summer, she was working at a local pool. She was killed while she was at work.
Ali Kemp
Murder
On June 18, 2002, Ali went to her shift at the local pool. Her brother also worked at the pool, and was supposed to work the next shift. He came to relieve Ali, and told his mom he couldn’t find her.
Ali’s dad, Roger Kemp came to the pool to search for his daughter. He said in the episode that he looked in the deep end, and the pump room. He found Ali in the pump room under a blue tarp. He said she was laying face down, and black and blue all over. He also found her cell phone and purse.
Roger called 911, and the call is heartbreaking. In the call, Roger can be heard telling Ali to stay with him, and when the operator asks if she’s breathing, he says he can’t tell.
Ali died at the hospital. The following day, Ali’s family holds a vigil for her.
Investigation
The police immediately start searching the pool. They find a chaotic scene. They find Ali’s flip flops in different places, her fingernails were broken and they find blood spatter. They determine that Ali fought for her life.
The police start by investigating bystanders. They interview the lawn workers at the pool, and they said they saw a man lurking in the bushes the previous day with a video camera. They also saw the same guy on the day of Ali’s murder driving the parking lot around in a beige colored pickup truck.
The police were able to get a composite sketch put out. Ali’s friends and family went around the area to local businesses to distribute the flyers. Ali’s boyfriend of 5 years, Phil Howes lead the charge.
Phil was also interviewed, he said Ali had told him that she didn’t like being alone at the pool because the lawn workers would say comments to her or watch her. Phil also worked at the pool, and he said Ali relieved him on his shift the day she died around 12pm. Ali also called her friend, Laurel to come visit her at the pool around 3pm. Laurel said she showed up and honked her horn for Ali to come out. Laurel said Ali didn’t show up, but she saw a man come out from the pump room. He waived to her, and she left because she was creeped out.
The police believe Ali was killed between 12-3pm, and that Laurel might have seen Ali’s killer.
Autopsy
It was determined that Ali was strangled. The police believe a gyrot was used, and that her collar bone was stepped on to strangle her. They also found Ali’s DNA mixed with a partial DNA sample of a male.
Suspects
Ali’s family, friends and boyfriend were all eliminated.
Roger Kemp put out a $50,000 reward and there were many tips that came in to the police. The first lead that had was on a man named James Straiter. Someone had said he looked like the composite sketch. James was soon eliminated after his boss said he was at work the whole time.
James Straiter and the composite sketch
However in February 2003, James Straiter would once again be on the police’s raider when he was wanted in Kansas and Missouri for raping several women.
James was eventually found in Utah. He was arrested after skipping out on not paying for gas. He was brought in to the police station, and once again eliminated after his DNA didn’t match.
Roger Kemp said “it was like getting a wastebasket and throwing up your lunch.” They thought they had their man.
The Billboard
Roger Kemp, Ali’s father and the billboard about her case
Roger said he was driving one day, and saw a billboard. He said it gave him the idea to put a picture of the composite sketch up so that everyone could see it.
Lamar Advertising donated a billboard to the Kemp family to help.
The billboard paid off. There were many leads. Eventually a lead led to a man named Teddy Hoover, who just so happened to be a pool service person.
The other suspect
The tip said Teddy Hoover lived nearby, and he drove a maroon pickup truck. The police went to speak to him, and asked for his DNA. He said no, and needed to contact a lawyer.
In 2004, a tip came in and said Teddy and his girlfriend moved to Connecticut. They tracked down his girlfriend, but the man living there was going by the name of Benjamin Appleby.
The police searched Teddy Hoover’s name and found he had warrants for public exposure. He was arrested.
Benjamin Appleby aka Teddy Hoover
The Leawood police went to Connecticut. The police came up with a plan to put up pictures of Ali, of the pool and put some binders in the room that had his name on them. The police said his eyes got really big when he walked in that room.
The Confession
He said he lied to them and that he was at the pool that day. He said he saw Ali, and thought she was cute. He wanted to talk to her and to flirt. He said she was not interested, and he followed her into the pump room. He blocked the door so she couldn’t get out. He said Ali tried to escape and punched him. He said he lost it, hit her and started strangling her. He took off her clothes also. He said he covered her body so that no one would find her like that. He also admitted that he waived to her friend that day when she came by.
The police also discovered that Teddy had gone back to the crime scene that night and was in the crowd of people who gathered at the pool when the news of Ali’s murder came out.
Trial and Sentencing
Teddy Hoover pleaded not guilty. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to “a hard” 50 years in prison. A hard 50 means he has to serve 50 years before he can be eligible for parole.
Remembering Ali
The Kemp family created the Ali Kemp foundation, which teaches woman self defense. About 2,000 people have attended so far.
Roger Kemp said:
"We don't want it to happen to another little girl. We don't want it to happen to their family.”
Other
Benjamin Appleby or Teddy Hoover now wants his sentence reduce, which is disgusting! Her father, Roger is there again every step of the way to make sure that doesn’t happen.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I just feel so sorry for this family. Ali was killed because some creepy man thought he could flirt with her, and she’d be into it. He thought he could have her, and she was brutally attacked for saying no.
It breaks my heart that her dad had to be the one to find her. Roger Kemp is a hero for not giving up on his search for answers. It reminds me of my dad, because I know my dad would be the same if something ever happened to me. This case definitely was an emotional one.
Sources
https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/2020/story%3fid=1257064&page=1
