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UPDATE ON CRIMINAL CASE IN THE MURDER OF FORMER WWE DEVELOPMENTAL TALENT KEVIN 'KNUCKLES MADSEN' NIKEL

Michael Hogue, who has been accused of allegedly shooting and murdering  former WWE developmental talent Kevin Nikel in July 2025 in Arkansas is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on 7/15, PWInsider.com has learned.

Hogue has been charged with 1st Degree Murder.   In Arkansas, if Hogue is convicted, he is facing between 10 and 40 years or life imprisonment.   He has also been charged with Possession of Firearm by Certain Persons.  

Nikel, who performed in the ring as Ivan Warsaw and Knuckles Madsen, passed away on 7/11/25 in Rogers, Arkansas after being found by authorities.  He had been shot in his abdomen.  Nikel was transported to the hospital but succumbed to his wounds. 

Court records include an arrest affidavit in which officers note that Hogue claimed that after a back and forth of words between the two via text and social media, they met for a confrontation.  Hogue alleged that Nikel pulled a gun and in the ensuing struggle, it went off twice.  Nikel identified Hogue as shooting him before he passed.

Nikel's ex-wife, Amanda Penny, was released from incarceration in February after prosecutors dropped the charge of 1st Degree Murder against her.  Penny is now charged with Hindering apprehension, prosecution, conviction or punishment of another as well as possession of firearms.    In Arkansas, the latter charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but it can be escalated to a Class B Felony with enhanced penalties if the person charged has a prior violent felony or if the possession occurs during another crime.    The former could be applied as a felony or misdemeanor depending on circumstances.  Penny was released on her own recognizance and was ordered not to have contact with Nikel's family, which would likely include her own son.    She was ordered report to The Victory Mission Bible Training Center in Arkansas and undergo "all aspects" of the Center, including counseling.  She must complete 8-10 months of the Center's program before being released.  Penny is scheduled for a court hearing via Zoom on 7/28.

Nikel's mother, Susan Kinderman spoke with CBS affiliate THV channel 11 after the arrests, stating, "There was some kind of an argument. Maybe there was texting going back and forth. I think they enticed Kevin to meet up with them. I was told by the detectives that there was some kind of altercation. Shots were fired, and Kevin was killed, and that's all we really know."

Nikel and Penny had met in High School, Kinderman said.  "She was his first friend that he met in high school. They were dating, then they got married. They were happy for a long time, and then I guess they started to grow apart. And, you know, neither one of them were happy. Kevin took a job where he could be gone two weeks at a time, and things just progressively got worse, until they divorced."

Working under the name Knuckles Madsen, Nikel was under a WWE developmental deal in 2012.  He appeared regularly on WWE NXT live events but only made a few appearances on television.  He exited NXT in December 2013 and wrestled in Arkansas, Texas and Memphis through 2024, including headlining TCW events against Jerry Lawler.

"I just hope that we have a lot of answers. I know that the justice system will work. Whatever penalty they get, I'm fine with. But instead of that, I want to make sure that we know exactly what happened and why. I would like to hear it from them. I don't know if I will, but I would rather hear from those two, and we'll just have to see how that comes out," Kinderman said.

Nikel was only 41 years old.

A gag order preventing anyone from speaking publicly about the case is currently in effect.

 

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