Kenneth “Kenny” Waters Wasn’t Supposed to Die in Prison
Kenneth “Kenny” Waters wasn’t supposed to die in prison. But in 1983, that’s exactly where the justice system sent him—condemned to life without parole for a murder he did not commit.
The victim was Katherina Reitz Brow, an elderly woman who lived next door to Kenny in Ayer, Massachusetts. On May 21, 1980, she was found murdered in her home. Cash and jewelry were missing, and the crime scene showed signs of a violent struggle.
Kenny was 26 years old, a father, and known around town as rough around the edges but friendly and talkative. He worked at a local diner where Ms. Brow was a regular customer, and employees there knew she kept large amounts of cash at home. Kenny had previous encounters with police, and that history made him an easy suspect.
He was questioned immediately. Kenny said he had been at work that morning until 8:30 a.m., and a coworker confirmed it. But police remained focused on him.
Two years later, prosecutors claimed they had their case.
Two of Kenny’s former girlfriends—Brenda Marsh and Roseanna Perry—testified that Kenny had confessed the murder to them. Their testimony became the backbone of the prosecution’s case.
There was physical evidence at the crime scene: fingerprints, hair, and blood. What the jury never heard—and what Kenny’s defense never knew—was that the fingerprints found at the scene had already excluded Kenny as a match. The analyst’s conclusion was never shared with the prosecution or the defense.
Instead, the state relied on blood type evidence. Kenny’s blood type matched samples from the scene—but so did about 11% of the population. Combined with the women’s testimony, it was enough.
In 1983, Kenneth Waters was convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A Sister Who Refused to Believe
Sitting in the courtroom was Kenny’s younger sister, Betty Anne Waters. She knew her brother. They had grown up together under difficult circumstances—an indifferent mother, foster homes, instability. Their bond was unbreakable.
Betty Anne knew, with absolute certainty, that Kenny was innocent.
But she had no power. She was a high school dropout, a waitress at an Irish pub, and a single mother of two boys. She had no legal training, no money, and no influence.
What she had was determination.
Kenny appealed his conviction multiple times with public defenders. Every appeal failed. Years passed. His daughter stopped visiting him, believing he was guilty. His hope slowly disappeared.
Then Kenny attempted suicide in prison.
When Betty Anne learned what had happened, she made him a promise that would change both their lives.
“I’m going to law school,” she told him. “I’m going to get you out.”
Kenny didn’t believe her. How could he? It sounded impossible.
But Betty Anne meant every word.
Twelve Years of Sacrifice
In 1985, Betty Anne enrolled in community college. She worked full-time, raised her sons alone, and studied at night. She brought textbooks to her children’s games. She slept very little.
Her marriage fell apart under the pressure. Friends told her to let go. People said she was wasting her life.
She refused to stop.
Community college led to a bachelor’s degree. Then, law school at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.
It took twelve years.
In 1998, Betty Anne Waters passed the bar exam.
She immediately began digging into her brother’s case and learned about DNA testing, a technology that didn’t exist when Kenny was convicted. Unlike blood type evidence, DNA could definitively prove guilt or innocence.
But there was a problem.
She was told the evidence had been destroyed.
The Evidence That Changed Everything
Most people would have given up. Betty Anne did not.
She contacted Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to freeing the wrongfully convicted. She searched courthouse basements, storage rooms, and records.
In 1999, she found it.
A box of evidence—untouched—bearing her brother’s name. Inside were the knife and blood-stained materials from the crime scene.
With a court order, the evidence was preserved and tested.
In 2000, the DNA results came back.
None of the blood belonged to Kenny Waters.
After 18 years in prison, science proved what Betty Anne had always known: her brother was innocent.
The Truth Finally Comes Out
Even then, the fight wasn’t over. The district attorney claimed Kenny could still be guilty as an accomplice.
Betty Anne and the Innocence Project tracked down the two women who had testified against Kenny.
Both admitted they had lied.
They revealed that police pressure and coercion had pushed them into giving false testimony. They were threatened and manipulated into saying Kenny had confessed.
On March 15, 2001, Kenneth Waters walked out of prison a free man after 18 years, 5 months, and 3 days.
He was 47 years old.
Freedom, Too Brief
Kenny tried to rebuild his life. He reconnected with his daughter. He laughed, explored the world, and marveled at simple things like cell phones. But prison had left scars. He struggled with anxiety and fear.
Six months later, in September 2001, Kenny fell while trying to climb over a wall near his family’s home. He suffered a severe head injury.
On September 19, 2001, Kenneth Waters died.
He had only been free for six months.
A Promise Kept
Betty Anne didn’t stop fighting.
She filed a civil rights lawsuit against the town of Ayer and the police officers responsible. In 2009, Kenny’s estate received over $10 million in compensation.
Betty Anne continued working with the Innocence Project, helping others prove their innocence.
In 2010, her story was told in the film Conviction, starring Hilary Swank.
Kenny never got the life he deserved.
But because of his sister, the world learned his name.
Betty Anne Waters proved that the justice system can fail—and that love, persistence, and courage can still prevail.
Because Kenny was her brother.
And she had made him a promise.
And Betty Anne Waters keeps her promises.
