Dateline: The Mystery On Bridle Path - What happened to Carol Kennedy? Details of the 2008 murder, explored 

In Prescott, Arizona, Carol Kennedy's murder in 2008 left everyone in shock and disbelief. A cherished artist and loving mother of two children, she was discovered in her house in July, brutally killed by being hit multiple times.

The locals couldn't believe something like this could happen in their quiet neighborhood. Naturally, the spotlight of suspicion shone on her ex-husband, Steve DeMocker, who was in finance and was also facing money troubles at the time.

Despite the lack of clear-cut evidence, the courtroom drama was full of surprises. In the end, in 2013, Steve was found guilty of this first-degree murder and was handed a life sentence without the chance of parole in 2014. Carol Kennedy's story didn't just end with the trial. It became a real-life puzzle that many people are still trying to solve, especially those into true crime.

Some are convinced that Steve did it. Others aren't so sure and wonder if the police might have missed something else. This makes you think about how fair our justice system is and whether we can always trust it to find the truth.

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A crime scene that told a story about Carol Kennedy

Carol Kennedy’s murder site was grim. Her head bore numerous wounds from blunt force, which at first glance made it seem like a fall. Yet, there were details that didn't quite fit the story of an accident. A bookshelf lay on its side, a ladder was overturned, and the scene whispered of something much darker.

Enter DeMocker, a man who loved cycling. His rare bike shoes had left an imprint so close to the house that it was hard to ignore. But it was more than just a shoe print that caught the detectives’ attention. DeMocker had a peculiar habit that night—he turned his phone off, which was quite out of character for him.

Even more troubling, his computer history held a secret. He had been looking up how to make a murder look like an accident. For Kathy Reay, who sat on the jury, this painted a picture that was difficult to dismiss.

She told CBS:

“The pieces that started to sway me were definitely the shoe prints. The fact that his phone was turned off was very unusual for him.”

Despite these discoveries, none of the DNA, fingerprints, or blood evidence found at the crime scene could be tied to DeMocker. His legal team suggested that someone else, namely Jim Knapp, who was both a friend of Carol Kennedy's and a person living in her home, might have been involved.

However, Knapp had a solid alibi, which meant he was proven to be somewhere else. In a twist of fate, Knapp took his own life just a few months later.

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Delays and a shocking verdict of the Carol Kennedy case

DeMocker’s legal journey was filled with bizarre twists and turns. His initial court case was stopped when the judge overseeing it passed out and, sadly, didn’t survive. During this time, his ex-girlfriend, Renee Girard, stepped in with very serious accusations. She shared that DeMocker had put together a bag with all the essentials to make a quick getaway.

Moreover, he had managed to persuade their daughters to use the $750,000 from Carol Kennedy’s life insurance policy to pay for his defense. Even with a formidable group of lawyers fighting for him and wrongful accusation, DeMocker’s trial picked up again in 2013. After a thorough consideration that took the jury three days, they found him guilty.

His daughter Katie pleaded for leniency during sentencing,

“So much of what I value in myself I learned from that man.”

However, the judge didn't budge, giving DeMocker a life imprisonment sentence.

DeMocker still says he didn't murder Carol Kennedy, calling this "the million-dollar question." It's something fans of true crime still argue about today.

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You can find all the details of the Carol Kennedy case in Dateline: The Mystery On Bridle Path, which is on NBC, and Peacock.

Some more Dateline cases: Hannah Hove | Stephanie Roller Bruner