Kevin Knoefel, top left, convinced his foster daughter Sabrina Zunich, bottom left, to kill his wife. The murder was the subject of a September 2013 Scene cover story

  • Kevin Knoefel, top left, convinced his foster daughter Sabrina Zunich, bottom left, to kill his wife. The murder was the subject of a September 2013 Scene cover story

In Nov. 2012, 18-year-old Sabrina Zunich stabbed her foster mother 178 times, brutally killing Lisa Knoefel in front of the the 41-year-old’s teenage and infant daughters. Today in a Lake County courtroom, a jury agreed with prosecutors that Kevin Knoefel convinced his foster daughter to kill her.

Kevin Knoefel was convicted on each of the 11 charges he faced: two counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, three counts of complicity to aggravated murder and six counts of sexual battery based on a sexual relationship he had with the girl.

The death of Lisa Knoefel and troubled life of Sabrina Zunch was featured in a September 2013 cover story in Scene called “Worth More Dead Than Alive,” a title based on what Kevin Knoefel allegedly said regarding the life insurance payouts he’d get should his wife die.

The News Herald did a great job covering the trial. Click here for today’s post on the guilty verdict, and check out these posts for their daily coverage of the trial:

“Willoughby Hills man accused of accused of plotting wife’s murder with foster daughter on trial” (June 2)

“Willoughby Hills man acted ‘inappropriate’ after wife’s murder, victim’s friends testify” (June 3)

“Willoughby Hills man’s former friend testifies against him in murder conspiracy trial” (June 4)

“Willoughby Hills man’s foster daughter testifies in murder conspiracy trial” (June 5)

“Police informant takes stand in murder conspiracy trial” (June 6)

“State rests against Willoughby Hills man in murder conspiracy trial” (June 9)

“Closing arguments delivered in murder conspiracy trial of Willoughby Hills man” (June 10)

“Kevin Knoefel guilty on all counts in WIlloughby Hills murder conspiracy” (June 11)

This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2014.

Doug Brown is a staff writer at Scene with a passion for public records laws and investigative reporting. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., he has an M.A. in journalism from the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a B.A. in political science from Hiram College. Prior to joining Scene, Doug was a contributing writer for Deadspin.com, reporting behind-the-scenes stories about college sports through public records and developing sources. Doug's work as an enterprise reporter for the Daily Kent Stater was recognized by the Cleveland Press Club (2013 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards), Society of Professional Journalists (regional and national Mark of Excellence Awards), and the Associated Collegiate Press. He spent the summer of 2012 working for the Metro desk of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and spent previous summers working for Outside Bozeman Magazine and Crain's Detroit Business. His website is dougbrown8.com.

4 replies on “Kevin Knoefel Found Guilty Of Plotting Wife’s Murder”

  1. I’d be hard-pressed to think of a more despicable crime. Too bad the DA did not ask for the death penalty.

  2. The story is well-written, and goes into enough detail that you just cringe while reading the account of what happened that day. I’m glad that someone is going to pay for the horrible things that happened to her.

  3. I just watched this on Dateline and had never even heard the story before, but I think a major injustice occurred. There is ZERO evidence he did anything, only her word (a murderer) against his. The fact that she was offered a “deal” is certainly motivation to pin him to the murder moreso because she was bitter that he didn’t defend her when the mom told her she was being kicked out. The fact that he asked about her living with him if they got divorced makes sense considering there was always tension between her and the mom. Mom jealous over attention dad gives to daughter-oldest story in book. Fact of all the tweets doesn’t prove anything other than a typical teen obsessed with her foster dad. i think she instigated it all and that she was the sole reason behind the murder. He may have led her on with a future but in no way do I believe he is the reason she stabbed this woman 200 times. She is a sick person who hated her mom because she wanted to take her place. That’s it. He did not commit murder, she did, and the fact that he got life in prison for a he said she said verdict is disgusting. Shame on the jury in this one.

  4. By the way I was very close to my father into my early 20s and used to sit on his lap even. He was my dad. Some ppl may have thought this was inappropriate but to me it wasn’t and there certainly was nothing going on with us. To assume that because she sat on his lap meant anything is ridiculous, and as the lawyer said, if they were so concerned they never reported it as mandated by law due to their profession.

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