The Dark Path of Chevie Kehoe

A White Supremacist's Reign of Terror

Born on January 29, 1973, in Orange Park, Florida, Chevie O'Brien Kehoe emerged as a chilling figure in the annals of American crime. A self-proclaimed white supremacist and domestic terrorist, Kehoe's life took a sinister turn, culminating in a series of heinous crimes that left a trail of devastation across the United States. Today, he languishes behind bars, serving three consecutive life sentences for the cold-blooded kidnapping, torture, and murder of William Mueller and his family. His partner in crime, Daniel Lewis Lee, met his fate on July 14, 2020, when he was executed for his role in the brutal murders.

Early Life and Radicalization

Chevie was the eldest of eight sons, born to Kirby and Gloria Kehoe. His father, a Navy veteran, named him after his favorite automobile brand, Chevrolet. Chevie's early years were marked by frequent relocations, from North Carolina to Washington, where the family settled near Deep Lake in Stevens County. By the time young Kehoe entered Colville Junior High School in 1987, he was an honor student. However, his academic promise was overshadowed by his family's extremist beliefs. In 1988, the Kehoes withdrew Chevie and his brother, Cheyne, from public school to homeschool them, further isolating them and nurturing their radical ideologies.

Kehoe's upbringing was steeped in anti-government and white supremacist rhetoric, laying the foundation for his ambitions to overthrow the United States government. He envisioned an "Aryan People's Republic," and with his militia, aimed to bring this vision to life. His personal life mirrored his tumultuous ideology; after marrying Karena Gumm and fathering three children, he briefly took a second wife, Angie Murray, although the relationship ended after just 54 days.

A Trail of Violence

Kehoe's descent into violence began in June 1995, when he and an accomplice kidnapped and robbed Malcolm and Jill Friedman, a couple he believed to be Jewish, from a store where he had once worked. The following month, on July 15, Kehoe ordered the execution of Jeremy Scott, a fellow white supremacist, in Bonner County, Idaho. Scott, suspected of being a government informant, was shot in the back of the head by Faron Lovelace, another accomplice. Lovelace faced a death sentence for his actions, though it was later commuted to life imprisonment without parole.

Kehoe's violent spree continued with a failed bombing attempt on April 29, 1996, when Daniel Lewis Lee detonated a pipe bomb at the Spokane City Hall Building in Washington. Fortunately, the explosion occurred without casualties.

The Mueller Family Murders

In January 1996, Kehoe and Lee embarked on a deadly mission to Arkansas, targeting William Mueller, a gun dealer near Tilly. Disguised as FBI agents, they broke into the Mueller home, subdued William and his wife Nancy, and coerced Nancy's eight-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell, into revealing the location of cash and weapons by torturing her with an electric cattle prod. After looting $50,000 in cash, guns, and ammunition, they suffocated the family with plastic bags. Kehoe, allegedly more ruthless, killed young Sarah when Lee hesitated. The bodies, weighted with rocks, were discarded in the Illinois Bayou and discovered months later in Lake Dardanelle.

A Close Encounter with Justice

Kehoe's crime spree came to a head on February 15, 1997, in Wilmington, Ohio. He and his brother Cheyne were involved in two dramatic shootouts with law enforcement. The first confrontation occurred during a routine traffic stop for expired tags, escalating when Cheyne opened fire on officers. Hours later, Chevie exchanged gunfire with Wilmington police officers in a parking lot, injuring a bystander. These incidents, captured on dashcam, were later broadcast widely, catapulting the Kehoe brothers into the national spotlight.

Following the shootouts, Chevie and his family went on the run, finally settling on a Utah ranch. However, tensions between the brothers over Chevie's extremist views led to Cheyne's departure and eventual surrender to law enforcement. On June 17, 1997, Chevie was arrested at the ranch, ending his reign of terror.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Kehoe faced a litany of charges, including racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and robbery conspiracy. Despite denying the accusations, his appeals were consistently rejected. On February 20, 1998, he pled guilty in Ohio state court to charges stemming from the Ohio shootout. The following year, he was convicted in federal court for the murders of the Mueller family and sentenced to life without parole. His mother and brother testified against him, revealing their knowledge of his crimes only after his capture.

Cheyne Kehoe received a reduced sentence of 11 years and was released in 2008, only to be re-arrested in 2013 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. His father, Kirby, received a 44-month sentence, later extended to 10 years for similar charges.

Allegations and Media Portrayal

Beyond his known crimes, Chevie Kehoe was accused of involvement in the Oklahoma City bombing. However, despite allegations from his brother and a motel manager, the FBI found no evidence linking him to the bombing.

Kehoe's story has been dramatized in several television programs, including The FBI Files' "Deadly Mission" and American Justice's "Raised on Hate," exploring his motivations and the investigation that led to his capture.

Sources

For more details about Chevie Kehoe's life and crimes, refer to the Wikipedia article: Chevie Kehoe.