News 6, 'Inside Edition' investigate accused 'con man' who used cancer to find love

Investigative reporter Mike Holfeld, 'Inside Edition' find man in good health

ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6’s investigation into the man accused of using cancer to meet women online hit "Inside Edition" Monday evening.

Investigator Mike Holfeld broke the story of Ken Boyer and his alleged cancer diagnosis months ago, but when Boyer was recently faced with cameras, he appeared to be perfectly healthy. 

The investigation into Boyer’s alleged fatal diagnosis made international headlines.

“I've had a really good life. God had been good to me, and if this is my time, this is my time,” Boyer, who appeared to be in tears over his health, said in May.

The emotion seemed real from a man who claimed to be dying from stage 4 cancer when he reconnected with an old love, exchanging wedding vows with a ring and a kiss, until News 6 uncovered a trail of women across the state who had all shared a similar tale with Boyer’s alleged line of “love at first sight” and terminal cancer.

“He loved every single one of us and he loved us all from the second he laid eyes on us,” Karen Hagerty said.

Boyer’s daughter Hannah said her father called her in February to tell her doctors felt he wouldn’t make it past his June 4 birthday. 

Lisa Guerrero and the investigative team from "Inside Edition" teamed up with News 6 to track Boyer to his home state of Missouri.

The man who claimed he wouldn’t be alive past June seemed more defiant than sickly.

“This case was particularly reprehensible because of the cancer card,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero said the investigation into Boyer’s relationships offered women a platform to tell their stories while knowing they were not alone.

“And I believe that there are gonna be women that are gonna come forward after they see this story and say, ‘This happened to me, too,’” Guerrero said. “Maybe not this Ken Boyer, but there are other 'Ken Boyers' out there that are hurting women and we want to see that end.”

A Brevard County woman claimed earlier this year that Boyer used her while they were dating from September 2015 to November 2016 to finance his life and love affairs while claiming to be fighting cancer.

Barbara Jones-Leyden, 63, a former Long Island police employee, told News 6 that Boyer lived with her from September 2015 to November 2016 and was probably cheating on her the entire time.

Boyer never allowed Jones-Leyden to accompany him to a doctor’s office, there were no medical bills and, according to Jones-Leyden, no prescriptions for cancer treatments.

Records show she wrote checks for $16,000 in January of 2015 and an additional $6000 in March of that same year.

Jones-Leyden has access to Boyer’s cell phone records because she paid the monthly bill for Boyer and his daughter.

She made random calls to phone numbers listed on those records and found women in Tampa, New Haven, Winter Park, Jacksonville and Miami, all of whom confirmed  they were dating Boyer and admitted he told them he loved them and wanted to live with them.

Trish Marsee, a hair stylist in Winter Park, said Boyer claimed he fell in love with her and wanted to move in with her after their first lunch date.

Boyer married Michelle Kimbrel, of Missouri, on May 1 in Palm Bay in a story that went viral.

It is unclear whether Boyer lied to his new wife, or if there are more victims out there, but Holfeld and Guerrero found that Boyer was alive and in good health in Missouri.

Holfeld was part of the "Inside Edition" special report that aired on News 6 Monday at 7:30 p.m.

During the report, Boyer's daughter, Hannah, could be heard calling her father a con man.

“He’s been lying to people and stealing from people for as long as I can remember,” she said. “He went so far as to shave his eyebrows and his head to make people believe that he was going through chemotherapy.”


About the Author:

News 6’s Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter Mike Holfeld has made Central Florida history with major investigations that have led to new policies, legislative proposals and even -- state and national laws. If you have an issue or story idea, call Mike's office at 407-521-1322.

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