Kelly Moore, 61, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly killing her 81-year-old mother, Ethel Moore, by injecting her with a fatal dose of insulin in 2023.
Kelly had been living with her mother in Grafton, West Virginia, since May 2023 after being chosen to care for her. Police said Kelly was appointed caregiver because she was unmarried and “there wasn’t anybody else” available, according to the Grafton Police Department.
Just before midnight on May 25, 2023, officers responded to a cardiac arrest call at the home and found Ethel Moore dead at the scene.
Kelly told police her mother’s blood sugar had spiked to 250, so she injected 20 units of her own insulin. She added that her mother, who had recently undergone a full hip replacement, hadn’t been feeling well for several days.
While explaining her mother’s health issues, officers noticed Kelly “seemed very annoyed,” court documents obtained by Law&Crime revealed.
Kelly described her mother’s conditions, including heart problems, arthritis, and dementia, saying, “that’s why I’m here with her,” according to police.
The affidavit also noted that on the day of Ethel’s death, she called her other daughter in Florida and complained that Kelly “wasn’t doing nothing for her.” This prompted the sister to call in a panic about the lack of care.
Kelly reportedly checked her mother’s blood sugar twice and found it high both times, leading her to inject 20 units of insulin into Ethel’s shoulder.
Although Kelly, who weighs about 275 pounds, is diabetic and prescribed insulin, her mother, weighing around 130 pounds, was not prescribed insulin, police said. The insulin Kelly used was not prescribed to Ethel.
An autopsy ruled the cause of death as insulin shock, and the manner of death was homicide, authorities confirmed.
Kelly’s sister said she was never informed about the insulin injections and believed their mother died due to complications from the hip surgery, court documents showed.
Kelly Moore now faces murder charges and remains in custody at Tygart Valley Regional Jail.
Ethel Moore’s obituary described her as someone who “liked taking trips to Walmart and McDonald’s where she always found someone to talk to. She also enjoyed relaxing while reading a good book, loved spending time with her family, and cherished the moments spent with each of them.”
