Friday, April 13, 2007

Palm Beach millionaire Keller gets two life terms for killing ex-wife


By Larry Keller

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Friday, April 13, 2007
UPDATED: 5:12 p.m. April 13, 2007

Fred Keller listened intently at his sentencing today as his ex-wife's family tearfully described the loss they suffered because he murdered their sister, their daughter. The normally stoic Keller even dabbed his eyes a few times.

Then the Palm Beach millionaire shuffled to the witness stand in his jailhouse blues and leg chains. He immediately shocked the family, blaming Rosemarie Keller's brother, Wolfgang Keil, for her death. Then he ripped the entire Keil family as greedy opportunists.

"Wolfgang will carry this burden of accidentally shooting his sister and killing her, and lying about it," Keller declared. "Your lies caused the conviction of an innocent person."

Rosemarie Keller's family "wants $25 million to make all this go away," Keller continued. "That's Fred's money," he said, meaning his 12-year-old son, Fred Jr. "Do you think you've earned that? Most of you have not worked for years, if at all."

Family members quietly gasped as Keller continued his diatribe. When he finished, prosecutor Andy Slater spoke: "This defendant has given lack of remorse new meaning in this courtroom."

Circuit Judge Edward Garrison then sentenced Keller, 72, to two consecutive life terms in prison - one for killing his fifth ex-wife in November 2003, and one for attempting to kill Wolfgang Keil in the same incident.

In another wrinkle to an already extraordinary hearing, Garrison ordered Keller to pay his prosecutors and jailers $252,604 in restitution for costs they incurred in his case. Murder defendants often pay restitution, but seldom so much. Keller's fortune has been estimated as high as $100 million.

Another wealthy felon, Ronald Samuels, was ordered in January to pay $308,000 in restitution for hiring hit men to kill his ex-wife, who was left a quadriplegic.

"Most murder defendants are indigent or near-indigent," Slater said. "It's certainly not the usual."

And Keller's restitution tab could soar much higher. Under Florida law, defendants convicted of a capital felony can be ordered to pay $250,000 in future incarceration costs. Slater wants Garrison to do just that.

Defense attorney Doug Duncan is opposed. Given Keller's age and capricious health, that would be "an unjust windfall to the state," he said.

Garrison will rule later on that, and on whether to order Keller to pay restitution to Keil for his injuries and Keller's son for the loss of his mother. His attorneys and the central jail's lawyer also are haggling over $71,000 that jailers say Keller racked up for medical care.

Still pending are a civil wrongful death suit filed by Rosemarie Keller's estate, and a personal injury suit filed by Keil, 35, who says he still is in pain from the two bullets Keller fired into him. Each lawsuit could result in millions of dollars being awarded to the plaintiffs.

"The pain you caused by your actions is irreparable," Keil said, looking at Keller. "You ruined all our lives, including your own. And for what? For what? You committed the ultimate sin and you show no remorse for your actions."

One of his sisters, Angelika Emory, testified about Rosemarie Keller in personal terms. She and her fiance have custody of Fred Keller Jr., called Fredchen. Rosemarie Keller played the piano and enjoyed classical music and art and gave her haircuts when they were children, Emory said.
"I think about Rose every day. I miss her so much."

"She would have loved to have more children," Emory said. "She was healthy and vibrant. She could have lived a long life. But you took that from her. She loved you, and you systematically destroyed her over the last three or four years of her life. Then you hunted her down like an animal in a closed room."

The Keil family's matriarch, Brigitte Keil, said Rosemarie made a mistake in marrying "a hateful man. I think your only love is money and controlling people."

When Keller followed the Keils to the witness stand, he urged Brigitte Keil to visit him in jail so they could talk one-on-one. Then he began addressing Wolfgang Keil.

"Take responsibility for what you did, and stop lying to your family," Keller said. "Be a man. Look at yourself in the mirror."

He also began a critique of the justice system, saying it was biased against defendants.

"I don't need your opinions about the criminal justice system," Judge Garrrison said.

Afterward, Wolfgang Keil was almost speechless. "He murdered my sister. Sitting there and blaming me is just unspeakable," he said. "I was just disgusted by his comments."

His mother said she has no interest in accepting Keller's invitation to visit him in jail. She said she doesn't want to "look into the eyes of the devil."

In another dramatic development, Keller's stepson by his first marriage, Brian Bohlander, 52, came to court from his home in Virginia. He and his two stepbrothers were kidnapped by Keller when they were youngsters and told that their mother had been killed in a car accident.

Bohlander - which is Keller's birth surname - has said that his stepfather physically and mentally abused him when he was a child.

Today, he said he came to court "to see him walk away in chains where he belongs. He's not human."

11 comments:

ompraja said...

"NOT ALL MURDERS ARE MURDERS, SOME ARE A CITIZEN'S JUSTICE.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE DECEASED DESERVES THE CITIZEN'S SENTENCE MUST BE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE CITIZEN DESERVES THE ACQUITTAL OR LENIENCY.-- OM RAJA' Abstracted from OMRAJA.
When a spouse demands a POST-NUPIAL AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED BY THE OTHER, ALMOST ALWAYS IT IS A CASE OF BLACKMAILING OF ONE SPOUSE TO THE OTHER.
THE BLACKMAILING GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS: SIGN IT, OR ELSE I WILL HAVE YOU COMPLETELY RUINED AND DEVASTED BY THE PROVEN METHOD OF DIVORCE LAWSUIT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ME THROUGH THE UNITED STATES MARITAL LAWS AND MARITAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
ROSEMARIE KEIL (NO SPOUSE MUST BE GIVEN THE SURNAME OF THE OTHER), AFTER SIGNING A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT WITH HER HUSBAND FRED KELLER FOR ACCEPTING A TAKE OF 10% OF THE ASSETS OF HUSBAND ACQUIRED DURING MARRIED YEARS
WITHIN SIX YEARS OF MARRIAGE PRESSURISED, INSISTED, NAGGED, BADGERED AND TORMENTED HIM TO SIGN A POST-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT TO GRANT HER 50% OF THE VALUE OF HIS ESTATE WHEN SHE WOULD FILE FOR A DIVORCE WHICH FRED KELLER REFUSED.
HER POST-NUPTIAL DEMAND ALMOST EXACTLY CONFORMS TO WHAT THE NOTED WITTICISM AND HUMOR WRITER OM RAJA HAS STATED IN HIS OMRAJA.COM
"WHAT IS A POST-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT?
IN MANY A SITUATION A POST-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT IS A KIND OF BLACKMAILING OF ONE SPOUSE TO THE OTHER AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF HAVING LIVED WITH EACH OTHER AND KNOWING MORE ABOUT EACH OTHER IN THE MARRIAGE; IT IS LIKE -- DO YOU WANT TO SIGN OR I BLOW THE WHISTLE?
Trust your secrets in your spouse
While together you live
When comes the divorce settlement
You give, give, and give.-- Om Raja' Extracted from OMRAJA.COM"

Anonymous said...

Om Raja is one unhappily divorced SOB. Grow up and join the 21st century.

Anonymous said...

SHE ABSOLUTELY BADGERED, BERATED,BELITTLED, BEGGED, INSISTED, AND PESTERED THE HELL OUT OF HIM BASED ON HER OWN GREED!!! SHE WANTED IT ALL!!!!!!!

Justice said...

Sounds to me like someone is being allowed Internet privileges in prison. How's it feel to spend the rest of your pathetic miserable life behind bars? At least you don't have to worry about being raped in your old age.

Paulie said...

I see blame on both sides. If the judge had granted me half of a $100 million. I doubt I would feel I earned that. I probably would have wanted $5 million, but then I'm older. I was but unaware, they're was a child involved. I would then want $10 million in trust for him. And maybe 10 percent interest in his business as income to raise our child. Given his controlling nature, he probably still wouldn't want to give me that. I think she was greedy. I don't quite blame his anger. But what he did to solve his problem was wrong. I'm nut motivated by greed our money. Sad all around.

Paulie said...

I see blame on both sides. If the judge had granted me half of a $100 million. I doubt I would feel I earned that. I probably would have wanted $5 million, but then I'm older. I was but unaware, they're was a child involved. I would then want $10 million in trust for him. And maybe 10 percent interest in his business as income to raise our child. Given his controlling nature, he probably still wouldn't want to give me that. I think she was greedy. I don't quite blame his anger. But what he did to solve his problem was wrong. I'm nut motivated by greed our money. Sad all around.

Anonymous said...

He was a cruel narcissist, no empathy and threw his other wives sway when they got older. Controlling and manipulative. Had so much money and yet wouldn't spend. Even in his death he was selfish. Awful Man.

Anonymous said...

He was a cruel narcissist, no empathy and threw his other wives sway when they got older. Controlling and manipulative. Had so much money and yet wouldn't spend. Even in his death he was selfish. Awful Man.

erin said...

Yes what he did was wrong, however she was a greedy gold digger and he was right about her family being greedy opportunists. She should have just walked away and she would be alive. No one ever thinks about that. What in the hell are you expecting to happen if you attempt to take some selfish, narcissistic man's most important thing from him? If your life means anything, walk away!

Anonymous said...

She was a greedy BITCH likely a whore for what lovely young woman would give herself to an ugly old man except a whore !!! And when you take,or try to take, more than is justly due you, then you do so at the peril of your own life !!! Her whole family were nothing but theives & money triggers !!!!! Seems she was raised to be a whore !!!!
The rich old bastard was a hater & used of people, especially of women. And with $100,000,000.00, giving 1/2 to your wife & beautiful son when you won't even spend a pitence of your remaining fortune, it is just ridiculous to kill your son's mother when he soon will lose his father. But perhaps all turned out best for the innocent child of these two people -- neither of which deserved a sweet, trusting child whom they would have destroyed !!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW this guy Fred Keller is a total and complete psychopath

"He kidnapped his three sons when they were youngsters and for nine years made them believe their mother was dead. When she finally found them, he managed to kick her aside and told them she was a bad mother and didn’t love them.

But while he went to great lengths to keep them, it doesn’t appear he was driven by love.

As punishment, he would make one of his sons drink his own vomit. Or eat out of a dog’s bowl. Or hold the boy’s head underwater until the boy was convinced he would drown.

“I would characterize him as sick and evil and mean-spirited,” said Brian Bohlander, who bore the brunt of the wrath of his father, the infamous Fred Keller."

He is the perfect definition of psychopath; a morally depraved individual who represents the 'monsters' in our society; he was unstoppable and untreatable. Also I see that that he was the author of some of these comments, must of been before he passed, he got internet privileges from jail.