Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
The case against murder victim Pam Zimmerman’s ex-husband Kirk Zimmerman will feature on Dateline NBC‘s weekend mystery. The upcoming episode titled “Before Midnight” premiered on the network this Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET. The synopsis of the episode reads, “A successful businesswoman and mother of three is found shot in her office; the investigation into her death leaves a family divided. Keith Morrison reports.”
Pam Zimmerman‘s ex-husband, Kirk Zimmerman, faced murder charges in 2015, and a trial resulted in his acquittal. Prosecutors had alleged he fatally shot the mother-of-three on November 4, 2014, over financial issues years after their divorce. Pam’s neighbor, Julie Koh, and the office manager were the first to find the crime scene in her office. Authorities also believed the killer had tried to stage the scene to make it appear like a robbery.
A series of circumstantial evidence led investigators to suspect Kirk Zimmerman’s involvement in the crime. However, in 2019, after hearing testimonies from several witnesses and experts, a jury found him not guilty. The former couple’s three children also advocated for their father’s innocence. Kirk has been a free man since his acquittal.
Where is Pam Zimmerman’s ex-husband Kirk Zimmerman now?
According to Rogers Sevantianos & Bante, LLP, Kirk Zimmerman’s 2019 trial concluded with the jury’s not guilty verdict. Kirk walked out as a free man after his acquittal. Sportskeeda reported that his LinkedIn profile reveals he is a floating clerk in Pennsylvania. Additionally, he remains in touch with his three children, who believe he is innocent. Today, Kirk remains out of the spotlight and has maintained a life away from the public eye.
The entire case against Pam Zimmerman’s ex-husband was based on circumstantial evidence. These included witness statements and those from friends and family and gunpowder residue that authorities found inside his car. Oxygen True Crime reported that at the time of Pam’s murder, she and Kirk were embroiled in financial issues. The two had divorced several years before that, and their bond had further soured.
Pam’s friends and family told authorities that tensions between her and Kirk had increased in the time before the murder. The victim had been asking for $3,900 in child support payments that she claimed her ex owed. She even sent him a letter demanding the sum for their three children’s medical and schooling. Reportedly, the mother threatened to take the matter to court if he failed to pay up within five days.
The outlet stated that Pam Zimmerman had confided in her close ones how afraid she was of Kirk. One of her cousins, Vicki Sartori, alleged, “She would always say if anything ever happened to her, he should be the person we should look at.” Nonetheless, the former couple’s children, who believed their father was innocent, claimed the divorce had not been troubled as the others described it.
Kirk Zimmerman’s arrest ultimately came on July 22, 2015, following a months-long investigation. Authorities took him into custody after finding gunshot residue inside his vehicle. Moreover, a witness came forward claiming that they allegedly saw the ex-husband in Pam Zimmerman’s office building. A further examination of his car revealed that the digital data in the vehicle suggested he was near the area of her office around the time of the murder.
During the murder trial, the prosecution alleged Kirk Zimmerman murdered Pam to avoid paying more child support. Assistant State’s Attorney Brad Rigdon stated, “He [the accused] knew that as long as she was still alive, he was going to go broke.” The case against Kirk was largely based on circumstantial evidence.
The defense argued that the prosecutor’s financial motive theory was ridiculous. John Rogers later told Dateline, “Kirk had a full pension, guaranteed for life, which he could have taken at any point and time.” Additionally, they went on to dismiss other allegations, claiming that authorities solely focused on Kirk and failed to pursue other suspects.
After deliberating for 7.5 hours for three days, the jury returned with a not guilty verdict in Kirk Zimmerman’s murder trial. Now, the case will air on Dateline NBC’s weekend mystery episode on Saturday, July 20.
