Esme Kenney, a 13-year-old girl, was tragically murdered on March 7, 2009, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She had gone out for a jog near the Winton Hills reservoir when she encountered Anthony Kirkland, a serial killer with a history of violent crimes. Kirkland later confessed that he attacked Esme after she accidentally bumped into him while jogging. He claimed that in that moment, he saw the face of his son's mother, with whom he had a troubled relationship, and flew into a violent rage.
Kirkland brutally assaulted Esme, punching and kicking her repeatedly before ultimately killing her. He then burned her body in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Esme's disappearance was reported by her mother, Lisa Kenney, who had a premonition that something was wrong when her daughter did not return home. A search was launched, and officers eventually found Kirkland asleep near the reservoir. He was in possession of Esme's watch and iPod, which had her name engraved on it. Initially, Kirkland denied seeing Esme, but his story quickly unraveled. He was arrested and charged with her murder.
Kirkland had a long history of violent crimes, including the murders of four other females—two women and two teenage girls—between 2006 and 2009. In each case, he had strangled his victims and burned their bodies to conceal evidence of sexual assault. His criminal history dated back to 1987 when he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Leola Douglas, after she refused to have sex with him. He was sentenced to prison but was later paroled in 2004.
During his trial for Esme Kenney's murder, Kirkland pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse. In 2010, he was convicted and sentenced to death. However, his death sentence was later overturned by the Ohio Supreme Court, leading to a resentencing hearing. A new jury was convened to determine whether Kirkland should receive the death penalty again or another life sentence. The case was emotionally charged, with Esme's mother providing heartbreaking testimony about the day her daughter went missing.
Ultimately, Kirkland was sentenced to death for the murders of Esme Kenney and 14-year-old Casonya Crawford. He remains incarcerated at the Ohio State Penitentiary. His crimes left a lasting impact on the community, and Esme's murder remains a tragic reminder of the dangers posed by repeat offenders.
