Ex-Wife Charged with Murder Days After Divorce Finalized
A former WWE wrestler’s ex-wife has been charged with murder just three days after their divorce was finalized, and it seems her new partner may have been the one to pull the trigger.
Kevin Nickel, a 41-year-old wrestler known as Knuckles Madsen, was found on the side of a highway in Arkansas with a gunshot wound to his abdomen back in July. He was quickly taken to a local hospital but unfortunately died from his injuries.
His ex-wife, Amanda Penny, 40, was arrested and charged with murder shortly after their divorce was finalized on July 8, according to court documents. The couple had been married for roughly 13 years.
Penny’s new boyfriend, Michael Hogue, 51, was also arrested, suspected of being the shooter.
“We still don’t know exactly what happened when he was shot,” Nickel’s mother, Susan Kinderman, shared with News5.
“Detectives have kept things quiet on the case, which is probably wise. They’re trying to piece together exactly what occurred and who was responsible,” she added.
She mentioned that there had been some sort of altercation during which shots were fired, resulting in Kevin’s death. “That’s really all we know at this point.”
Penny and Nickel met in high school back in 2000 and tied the knot in August 2012, but it seems their relationship took a turn. “Things gradually deteriorated,” Penny’s mother noted, suggesting that neither of them were particularly content.
Nickel’s mother recalled, “She was his first friend in high school. They were quite happy for a long-time, but I think they started drifting apart,” she said, indicating that they eventually grew estranged.
Nickel had a professional wrestling career with WWE NXT between 2012 and 2013, and later with Ozark Mountain Wrestling under the ring name Ivan Warsaw.
Hogue was detained in Fort Smith, Arkansas, while Penny was arrested in Rogers as an accomplice.
Both have been charged with first-degree murder along with additional firearm charges. They are currently being held in Benton County Jail, with a bond hearing set for Wednesday.
