In the novel The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Charles Kent is Elizabeth Russell's illegitimate son. A drug addict, recently arrived from Canada. He is encountered at Fernly Park's gates by Sheppard on the night of the murder.
He is believed by Inspector Raglan to be the murderer of Roger Ackroyd and the blackmailer of Mrs. Ferrars. However, he is later exonerated from Poirot's suspect list because, even though he didn't reveal the motive for his visit to Fernly, Poirot knew for a fact that he went to talk to M. Russell.