Timeline

1991-1992
Ted Kimble met and started dating Janet Blakley, 2nd cousin to Patricia Blakley, during Janet’s Senior year in high school.

February - May 1993
Ted Kimble dated Kimberly Palmer. Palmer testified that Ted asked her to marry him secretly.

April 6, 1993
Ronnie Kimble joined the U.S. Marine Corps. 

April 1993

Patricia filed a theft loss claim against her homeowner’s insurance.

October 1993
Ted Kimble and Janet Blakley broke up for good after he asked her to marry him and she declined, opting to finish college first. Janet said that Ted suggested they marry in secret so her parents would continue to pay for her education, but she said no.

November 28, 1993
Ted Kimble and Patricia Blakley announced their engagement at the South Elm Street Baptist Church.

December 21, 1993
Ted Kimble and Patricia Blakley were secretly married in a civil ceremony in Danville, VA, with his parents as witnesses.

March 1994
Gary Lyles notified Robins & Weill, Inc., the real estate brokerage firm that handled his lease on the property that Lyles Building Material sat on, that he was selling the business to his employee, Ted Kimble, but the current lease would transfer to the new owner. The current lease expired March 31, 1997.

May 7, 1994
Ted and Patricia married in a church ceremony at the Monnet Road Baptist Church, officiated by Ted’s father, Reverend Ronnie Kimble Sr.

December 10, 1994
Ronnie Kimble and Kimberly Stump married. 

February 1995
Ted Kimble contacted Robins & Weill, Inc., to declare his intent to maintain the lease on the land Lyles occupied and inquired about purchasing the property. No price was quoted to Ted, and he was told the owners never have expressed a desire to sell the land.

February 24, 1995
Ted Kimble met with Harvey Apple, insurance agent for Mass Mutual, at Lyles to discuss life insurance on Patricia. They discussed $100,000.  About this same time, Ted met with Khalil Ganim, insurance agent for State Farm. He and Ted discussed $50,000-$100,000 life insurance on each of them. At a subsequent meeting, Ted informed Ganim that Patricia did not want additional insurance on her. Ted did take out mortgage disability insurance on himself.

March 1, 1995
2nd meeting between Kimble and Harvey Apple, insurance agent for Mass Mutual. Ted had $100,000 payable to her, and she already had $25,000, so they decided on an additional $75,000 for her to bring her up to $100,000 payable to him. Patricia joined them, and she would not sign the paperwork, according to Apple. No further discussions about life insurance with Mass Mutual.

June 15, 1995
Patricia requested an increase in her homeowner insurance coverage from Maryland Casualty, citing the addition of the 2-car garage.

July 20, 1995
Because of the theft loss claims, Maryland Casualty asked Patricia to install protective devices, such as an alarm system and dead bolt locks. Insurance records indicate that an alarm system with monitor detectors was installed, dead bolts were installed, and the front door was replaced with a new reinforced door.

September 7, 1995
Ted Kimble applied for a second job at Precision Fabrics.

September 12, 1995
Ted completed the insurance application, assisted by William Jarrell, for $200,000 on Patricia.

September 18, 1995
Ted hired by Precision Fabrics as a frame operator in the lamination department on second shift, 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm, at $6.65 per hour.

September 1995
Various individuals report that 2-3 weeks before Patricia’s death, she confided in them her concerns about the state of her marriage and Ted’s efforts to get more life insurance on her. <Linda Cherry testimony> <Cara Dudley Testimony> <Rose Lyles Testimony>

September 28, 1995
Reuben Blakley met Patricia at the Pizza Hut. He reports that she said she was “real worried and real concerned” that Ted wanted more life insurance on her. <Reuben Blakley Testimony, p. 84>

October 4, 1995
Maryland Casualty issued a non-renewal notice to Patricia for her homeowners insurance, citing the theft loss claims as the reason. The non-renewal was effective October 31, 1995.  William Jarrell, insurance agent, arranged a blood draw for Ted and Patricia Kimble. The appointment was set for October 5 at 11:30. The appointment was not kept, and was rescheduled for October 12.

October 9, 1995
Patricia Kimble murdered in her home and her body set on fire. The following timeline has been reconstructed based on information from the testimonies.

7:15 Ronnie at Ted’s house to pick up box truck, did not see Patricia
7:30 Ted leaves house for work, Patricia still in bed
11:30  Patricia leaves the office for lunch w/Ted and to run downtown errand
1:00/2:00 Ronnie returns box truck to Ted’s house
2:00 Nancy returns from lunch, Patricia is in the office
3:20 Patricia talks on phone w/Ted
3:25/3:30 Patricia leaves the office for home
3:30/3:45 Patricia speaks briefly w/Braswell at stop light
4:00 Nancy places a call to Patricia at home, no answer
4:00 Estimated time of Patricia’s death
5:30 Ted and co workers, Ogburn & Swaney close Lyles for the day
5:45 Ted dropped off dog at his mother’s
5:45/5:50 Vickery, a neighbor smells something burning
6:00/6:15 Fryar, a neighbor notices smoke in direction of Patricia’s house
6:00/6:20 Ted is seen arriving at Precision Fabrics (was scheduled to come in late)
6:20 Ms. Patton allegedly sees Ronnie turning onto Brandon Station Court
7:00 - 8:30 Patricia was supposed to be at bible study
8:21 Reuben pages Patricia
8:31 Reuben pages Patricia a second time
8:42 Reuben dials 911

October 12, 1995
Ted Kimble filed a Notice of Claim and demand for payment of policy in progress to Life of Georgia, for the $200,000 life insurance policy on Patricia’s life that he applied for through William Jarrell on September 12, 1995.

October 16, 1995
Ted Kimble interviewed by Gary Reilly, investigator for Maryland Insurance Group, which carried the homeowner’s insurance. This interview produced a 46 page report. Reilly followed-up on the information Ted provided, interviewing individuals to confirm Ted’s whereabouts on October 9. The purpose of the investigation was to determine if Ted had any responsibility for the arson.

October 19, 1995
Ted Kimble filed claims on two $25,000 double indemnity life insurance policies on Patricia, one held by the Southland Life Insurance Company and the other by Life of Georgia.

November 23, 1995

Ted Kimble offers a $20,000 reward, through Crime Stoppers. 

March 7, 1996
Ted Kimble was deposed by attorneys from the Maryland Insurance Group, which was undecided on whether to honor Ted’s claim. The deposition concerned whether some of the property loss clams had been exaggerated, and whether the claim for a substitute dwelling place was appropriate.

May 7, 1996
Ted Kimble contacted Life of Georgia and Southland Life to report that he was cleared as a suspect and requested that they pay out the two $25,000 policies on Patricia. Wanda Mize, the senior claims examiner for the two insurance companies, contacted the Guilford County Sheriff’s department about the status of the investigation, and Ted’s claim was denied.

December 1996

Ronnie and Kim Kimble lost a baby.  Ronnie took leave from the Marines to spend time with Kim.

December 1996 - February 1997
Ted Kimble involved with Robert Nicholes and Pardee in a theft conspiracy ring.

January 23-24, 1997
Ronnie and Kim Kimble visit Louie Mitch Whidden and his wife. Ronnie Kimble allegedly confessed to Mitch Whidden that he murdered Patricia Kimble for a cut in the insurance money Ted was to collect on her.

January 25, 1997

Mitch Whidden sought advice from the Reverend Jerry Falwell about his moral and legal responsibilities regarding the alleged confession by Ronnie.  Falwell asked his son and another attorney at Liberty University to see Whidden and advise him.

January 28, 1997

Mitch Whidden visited Ronnie at Camp LeJeune to try and convince him to turn himself in.  Ronnie said Whidden misunderstood, what he told him was a bad dream, not a confession.

February 3, 1997
Mitch Whidden interviewed by SBI Agent Pendergrass, Detective Church, and Detective Sergeant Deberry. Liberty University attorneys Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Frank Patric Yeatts were present.

March 4, 1997
Mr. Munroe and two other investigators visited Camp Lejeune and interviewed several of Ronnie Kimble’s friends and associates.

April 1, 1997
Ted Kimble and Ronnie Kimble arrested.

April 17, 1997
Robert H. Nicholes entered into a plea agreement with Guilford County District Attorney's office to “voluntarily appear and testify in any trial related to the death of Patricia Kimble,” in exchange for which the State of North Carolina will recommend that he receive a probationary sentence for 19 counts of breaking and entering and 6 counts of larceny in the theft conspiracy ring. With no plea deal, conviction could have resulted in a 14 year sentence. 
 

October 31, 1997

Patrick Pardee entered into a plea agreement with the Guilford County District Attorney's office to testify in regard to the death of Patricia Kimble, and to provide testimony consistent with the statements he previously gave to various investigators.  For his cooperation, the DA would recommend probation and the First Offender program. Agreement

August 10, 1998
Ronnie Kimble’s trial begins. On Trial
 

September 2, 1998
The Jury deliberated for five hours over two days before reaching a verdict at 10:50 a.m., finding  Ronnie Kimble guilty of 1st degree murder, 1st degree arson, and conspiracy to commit murder. The Penaly phase began at 2 p.m. The Stated elected not to call witnesses, and the Defense called nine.

September 3, 1998
The Jury recommended Life Without Parole for Ronnie Kimble. Judge Preston Cornelius added an additional 15-20 years for the crimes of arson and conspiracy to commit murder.

January 28, 1999

Ted Kimble accepted a plea agreement from DA Panosh.  Agreement
 

February 24, 1999

Ted Kimble sent a letter to Judge Peter McHugh withdrawing his plea agreement and requesting a change of venue.  Both were denied.  Letter
August 15, 2000
Ronnie Kimble’s appeal heard by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Appeal denied in opinion published on October 3, 2000, by Judge Smith, with Judges Greene and Edmunds concurring. Opinion 

March 8, 2004

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Crawford v. Washington regarding the 6th Amendment Confrontation Clause.  The Court overruled the conviction and re-affirmed the defendant's 6th Amendment Right to Confrontation.  More

June 19, 2006

The U. S. Supreme Court issued its decisions in two key cases: Davis v. Washington and Hammon v. Indiana.  These decisions address whether the 6th Amendment Confrontation Clause applies only to testimonial hearsay. More

February 28, 2007

The U. S. Supreme Court issued its decision in WHORTON v. BOCKTING.  The ruling held that Crawford announced a new rule of criminal procedure that does not fall within the Teague exception for watershed rules.  This means that Crawford is not retroactive and applies only to cases still on direct review.