Murder of Michelle Kinney by Garry James featured on The Murder Tapes

The murder of Michelle Kinney by Garry James is featured in the latest episode of The Murder Tapes on Investigation Discovery.

At around 1:45 am on July 23, 2018, officers with the Dubuque Police Department were dispatched to an apartment in the 1300 block of Iowa Street in Dubuque, Iowa, after receiving a 911 call about a deceased person.

When they arrived at the scene, police discovered Kinney, 53, dead on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. There was also blood splattered on the cabinets and stove.

An investigation revealed that Kinney, who relatives said was a comedian who loved to make people laugh, was murdered on July 21, 2018—two days before three of her friends found her nude body in the apartment.

A traffic camera captured Kinney and James, 53, walking into her residence around 7:45 pm. About 45 minutes later, he was seen leaving alone and walking to a local bar where he was arrested on multiple charges: first-degree harassment, interference with official acts, and unlawful possession of prescription medication.

When detectives found evidence on James’ clothing that matched the evidence discovered at the crime scene, he was charged with first-degree murder.

James initially lied about being with Kinney on the night she was killed, but he changed his story when investigators informed him that he was captured on a traffic camera entering her apartment.

At James’ first court appearance, a judge set his bond at $1 million—cash-only—due to the nature of the crime and out of fear that he would leave the state.

His first-degree murder charge was later reduced to second-degree murder.

James pled guilty to murdering Kinney, and he was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

The Murder Tapes — I Did It, airs at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.