Kimes Says He Dumped Body in New Jersey

N E W   Y O R K, Nov. 16, 2000 -- The man convicted along with hismother of murdering a missing Manhattan millionaire has told police that he dumped her body in a construction site somewhere in New Jersey, a police said.

Kenneth Kimes, 25, is serving a prison sentence of 125years to life for the murder of 82-year-old Irene Silverman,who disappeared on July 5, 1998.

Kimes told police sources during an interview Tuesday that he threw Silverman’s body into a ditch at a New Jerseyconstruction site 35 to 40 minutes from the Holland Tunnel.

The confession, which comes after 28 months of denying anywrongdoing, has encouraged police to find Silverman’s body, sourcessaid.

“He expressed a willingness to help us find the body,” said alaw enforcement source.

Kimes’ lawyer Mel Sachs said he was surprised at the so-called confession because his client has always denied the charges.

“I am totally taken aback because he has always denied any involvement inthe disappearance of Irene Silverman,” said Mel Sachs.

Kimes Drove Body to New Jersey

The detective, who spoke on condition he would not beidentified, said Kimes admitted that after killing Silverman, he wrapped her body in heavy-duty garbage bags, stuffed it in aduffel bag, put it in the trunk of his car and drove to NewJersey, where he dumped it, the detective said.

“Kimes told us the building where he dumped Silverman’sbody was under construction, and he dumped the body inside thehole. He said he doesn’t know the city or the town where hedumped the body but that it was close to the water,” thedetective said.

Another New York City Police detective, Joseph Reznick,also said authorities had talked to a witness who said she sawa car similar to Kimes’ in New Jersey on the day Silvermanvanished.

The detective said Kimes decided to talk in hopes ofreducing the eight years he has been ordered to spend insolitary confinement.

He was ordered into solitary confinement after taking atelevision reporter hostage for several hours last month duringan interview at the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora,New York.

Kimes had been renting an apartment in the wealthy widow’sManhattan townhouse, and prosecutors say he and his mother werescheming to steal her home and money by forging documents andher signature.

Silverman had grown suspicious and was preparing to evictKimes when she disappeared, prosecutors said. Kimes and his mother, Sante Kimes, 66, were both convictedof the Silverman murder as well as conspiracy, forgery, robberyand other charges. Sante Kimes was sentenced to 120 andtwo-thirds years to life in prison.

They are also charged with the March 1998 murder of DavidKazdin, a former business associate, in California and faceextradition in that case.

ABCNEWS, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.