In 2006, Rob McLeod saw a newspaper article about a father seeking information on his missing daughter, Jennifer Marcum. The article mentioned Scott Kimball as the last person to see Jennifer before she disappeared in 2003. This detail struck a chord with McLeod, whose own daughter, Kaysi McLeod, had vanished three years earlier, with Kimball also being the last person to see her.
McLeod contacted Jennifer's father, Bob Marcum, and the two men joined forces. Within weeks, they approached the Denver FBI field office, demanding an investigation into Kimball. Their persistence revealed that Kimball, a confidential FBI informant, was a serial killer known as 'Hannibal,' who had manipulated the bureau to facilitate his crimes.
A Pattern of Deception
Kimball, who falsely claimed to be an FBI agent, had a history of using his informant status to his advantage. While in prison in Alaska in 2001 for check fraud, he began working for the FBI, providing intel and negotiating his release by claiming to help foil alleged murder plots. He also manipulated fellow inmates, promising to make their legal troubles disappear.
FBI Special Agent Jonathan Grusing, who later led the investigation into Kimball, noted Kimball's exceptional manipulative abilities. 'Scott controlled the narrative the whole time,' Grusing stated. 'He would give 70 percent truth, 30 percent deception.' Kimball used coded language, with phrases meaning one thing to inmates and another to the FBI, often leading to further crimes.
Exploiting the System
In December 2002, while sharing a cell with Jennifer Marcum's boyfriend, Kimball convinced the FBI that Jennifer was involved in a murder-for-hire plot. He was released from prison to gain her trust, but instead murdered her weeks later. Her car was found abandoned shortly after. Jennifer's father, Bob Marcum, had placed a billboard seeking information about his daughter, which eventually caught Rob McLeod's attention.
Kaysi McLeod, 19, disappeared in August 2003. Kimball, who was dating Kaysi's mother, Lori, claimed Kaysi had run away after he found drugs in the house. Rob McLeod initially believed his daughter might have been partying, but his concern grew over time. He later learned that Kimball himself had disappeared the same weekend Kaysi vanished.
Uncovering More Victims
As Grusing investigated Jennifer and Kaysi's disappearances, he discovered Kimball's connection to the disappearance of LeAnn Emry in January 2003. Emry had expressed fears for her safety, mentioning 'Hannibal' in her last messages. Her car was also found abandoned. A fourth victim, Kimball's Uncle Terry, disappeared in 2004. Kimball had claimed his uncle won the lottery and moved away.
During interviews, Kimball attempted to manipulate Grusing, but the agent's investigation revealed a receipt placing Kimball in Routt National Forest around the time Kaysi disappeared. A human skull found in the forest was identified as Kaysi's remains. Disturbingly, it was discovered that Kimball had taken Kaysi's mother to the same location for their honeymoon shortly after disposing of Kaysi's body there.
Plea Deal and Lingering Questions
The discovery of Kaysi's remains led Kimball to accept a plea deal in 2009, pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of four victims in exchange for revealing their locations. LeAnn Emry's remains were found in Utah and Uncle Terry's near Vail, Colorado. However, Kimball's failure to reveal Jennifer Marcum's whereabouts resulted in prosecutors renegotiating a harsher 70-year sentence.
In 2020, Kimball received an additional four years for a 2017 escape attempt. Grusing continued to search for Jennifer and seek information from Kimball until his retirement in 2021, but her remains have never been found. Kimball has continued to offer conflicting accounts, claiming to have had accomplices or even up to 50 victims.
Grusing believes Kimball is responsible for other unknown victims. The case prompted changes in how the FBI handles informants, including stricter vetting and requiring two agents to be present at meetings. Rob McLeod, however, maintains that Scott Kimball bears 100 percent responsibility for his crimes, stating that assigning blame to others would diminish Kimball's accountability.