Kimberly Sue Morse arrived for her normal shift at the Foxy Lady Gentleman’s Club, where she worked as a dancer, on January 18, 2000. Kimberly left work once her shift ended, and returned to her apartment in North Providence, Rhode Island between 1:40am-1:50am. What happened next has been put together by investigators over the past 21 years. 

According to investigators, Kimberly arrived to her apartment, she most likely noticed that her apartment door was open before entering. Investigators then believe that once she stepped into her apartment and set down her gloves and keys, she was attacked from behind and instantly killed. 

Kimberly’s body wouldn’t be found until around 5pm that afternoon, when neighbors reported smoke coming from Kimberly’s basement-level apartment. When firefighters entered the apartment, they found Kimberly’s body in the bathtub, engulfed in flames, in addition to blood covering the floors and walls in the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom. Investigators believe that the individual responsible for Kimberly’s death was someone she knew, due to the brutality of the attack as well as the previously opened apartment door. 

“Physical evidence and autopsy results show she was stabbed from behind,” officials said, “Her throat was slit.”

There hasn’t been much movement in Kimberly’s case since 2000, but in 2014, investigators received an anonymous email with information sending them to Michigan. Once the tip(s) were followed up in collaboration with the Michigan State Police, Rhode Island investigators were able to clear names, but were not able to make an arrest. There is currently a $20,000 reward for any information leading an arrest in Kimberly Morse’s case. 

Investigators believe whoever was waiting inside had a key to the apartment because there was no sign of forced entry.

The case went cold. Investigators eventually turned to the FBI to speak with a profiler, which helped narrow down the type of person that may have killed Morse.

Then, in 2014, there was a potential break in the case. They received an anonymous email with information.

It didn’t lead to an arrest but it did allow Jones to rule out a few names.

Detectives have the DNA of the person they believe killed Morse. There hasn’t been a match yet.