'Killer clown' shot Florida woman in the face

With all the recent madness surrounding "clown sightings" across the country, it's easy to laugh at those who are actually panicked. After all, a clown is still just a person in makeup and costume, even if they do look creepy. Nonetheless, there have been multiple incidents involving clowns -- in real life -- that make the current panic slightly understandable. One of those incidents is the unsolved murder of Florida woman Marlene Warren.

On May 26, 1990, Marlene Warren answered her front door to someone who was dressed as a clown. The character was carrying flowers and balloons, but he was not there to give them as gifts to the Florida woman -- nor was he there to perform any cheerful clown antics for her amusement. Instead, the costumed person pulled out a handgun and shot Marlene Warren in the face.

It has been many years, but Marlene's costumed killer has never been identified. Her husband was suspected at one time during the investigation, but no arrests have ever been made. Now, her story exists on the internet, as fodder for those who want to debate on whether or not there is truly a history of clown-related killings in the United States (excluding John Wayne Gacy of course).

Are you afraid of clowns?