AL - Mary Elizabeth Isbell, 38, tossed off a cliff to her death, Little River Canyon, last seen Fall 2021 *arrests in 2023*

[JerseyGirl]

Mother who ‘intentionally’ pushed woman off DeKalb County cliff wants body cam footage used in murder trial

As the case against a mother and daughter charged in the brutal murder of a missing woman continues, body cam footage is expected to play a part in their trials.

whnt.com

A preliminary hearing and bond hearing are both scheduled for August 2 at the DeKalb County Courthouse.

 

[PommyMommy]

Crazy case, and a terrifying set of circumstances. Gonna go out on a limb and speculate that the boyfriend involved may not have been worth committing a brutal murder over.

I'm a bit confused by the investigator's comment that M was "saved... washed in the blood" -- is this a religious reference (born again / blood of the saviour) or something factual specific to this case?

I understood it to mean that she was saved and living eternal life in heaven, hence the statement, "I don't have a doubt that she's looking down right now saying, finally." MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

JUL 28, 2023

Second suspect in DeKalb cliff murder now in Alabama, formally charged

The second woman charged in the brutal death of a missing woman is now behind bars in Alabama after being extradited, according to online jail records.

whnt.com

[...]

Jessie Eden Kelly, 22, was booked into the Cherokee County Jail on July 22. Her mother, Loretta Kay Carr, has been in the DeKalb County Jail since June 25. Kelly had been jailed in Pennsylvania and was awaiting extradition to Missouri, where she had prior felony burglary charges.

Both women are charged with capital murder and kidnapping in connection to the death of Mary Elizabeth Isbell on October 18, 2021, court records show. According to the criminal complaints filed in each case, both Carr and Kelly “intentionally” caused Isbell’s death “by pushing her off of a cliff.”

[...]

While it is unclear whether Carr or Kelly cooperated with authorities, the DCSO did say that one of them helped lead authorities to Isbell’s remains, where a search team found them at the Little River Canyon National Park on June 28.

[...]

The state is seeking the death penalty against Carr.

While no hearings for Kelly were scheduled at the time this article was published, Carr is still set for a hearing on Wednesday, August 2.

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 2, 2023

Case of Alabama woman accused of pushing victim off cliff heads to grand jury

Loretta Kay Carr, 45, of Fort Payne, was charged last month with capital murder-kidnapping in the October 2021 death of Mary Elizabeth Isbell.

www.al.com

District Judge Steven Whitmire Wednesday allowed the case of Loretta Kay Carr, 45, to proceed to a grand jury after a preliminary hearing in Fort Payne, finding there was sufficient evidence, after a hearing of about three hours.

Whitmire denied a defense motion to seal the court file, but did grant a motion to seal pre-trial proceedings in order to protect the potential jury pool from prejudice. Defense attorneys for Carr cited news coverage of the case, which has made it into international news outlets, as a motivating factor for sealing testimony.

Pretrial hearings closed in DeKalb County murder case where a woman was pushed off a cliff

A judge has closed further pretrial hearings for a woman accused of pushing another woman off a cliff in DeKalb County.

www.waaytv.com

Since the judge has closed pretrial hearings, the public is still allowed in the courtroom; however any witness testimony, evidence, or details of the case cannot be shared outside of the courtroom. There is already a gag order on this case, which means any attorneys, witnesses, or directly related family can't talk to the media about the case. Because of this, the deputies brought Carr in through the judge's office rather than straight to the courtroom like they usually do.

Typically, if they walked her to the courtroom, this would give the media a chance to ask Carr questions. But the gag order now prevents the press from doing that. However, the judge did deny a motion by the defense to close court documents from public viewing.

Carr had her fiancé in the courtroom today, and she seemed calm throughout the proceedings.

 

[PommyMommy]

This is horrific. They tortured her, pure and simple. MOO

AUG 4, 2023

New details emerge in murder case against mother, daughter in DeKalb County

New details in the murder case against a mother and daughter accused of kidnapping a woman and pushing her off of a cliff in DeKalb County have been released in court documents.

www.waff.com

[...]

According to newly filed court documents, Jessie Kelly confessed to law enforcement officers that she and her mother, Loretta Carr, killed Mary Elizabeth Isbell. Kelly also told investigators where to find Isbell’s body.

In the new document, an investigator says Kelly confessed to going to Isbell’s home, beating her in the head with a pistol, forcing her to shower and throwing her phone in a fireplace. They then put Loretta’s clothes on Isbell and pushed her off the cliff as she “begged for her life.”

Kelly says the plan was to make it look like a suicide. The motive for the crime was not brought up in the documents.

 

[iluvmua]

This is horrific. They tortured her, pure and simple. MOO

AUG 4, 2023

New details emerge in murder case against mother, daughter in DeKalb County

New details in the murder case against a mother and daughter accused of kidnapping a woman and pushing her off of a cliff in DeKalb County have been released in court documents.

www.waff.com

[...]

According to newly filed court documents, Jessie Kelly confessed to law enforcement officers that she and her mother, Loretta Carr, killed Mary Elizabeth Isbell. Kelly also told investigators where to find Isbell’s body.

In the new document, an investigator says Kelly confessed to going to Isbell’s home, beating her in the head with a pistol, forcing her to shower and throwing her phone in a fireplace. They then put Loretta’s clothes on Isbell and pushed her off the cliff as she “begged for her life.”

Kelly says the plan was to make it look like a suicide. The motive for the crime was not brought up in the documents.

I can see this being on Dateline and/or 20/20, 48 Hours Mystery

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Mary Elizabeth Isbell's body was found in Little River Canyon in June.

Investigators say Loretta Carr and her daughter Jessie Kelly pushed her off a cliff after kidnapping her.

Court documents filed Monday show the crime scenes encompass Wolf Creek, the victim's mobile home and a man's homestead.

Carr is asking the court to be able to go to the scene with her attorney so she can describe everything properly.

A judge set a hearing on Carr's motion for Aug. 31.

Fort Payne murder suspect charged with pushing woman to her death asks to visit alleged crime scene

A judge set a hearing on the motion for Aug. 31.

www.waaytv.com

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 21, 2023

Woman charged in ‘brutal’ cliff murder asks to revisit ‘scenes related to the crime’

A Fort Payne woman accused of “intentionally” pushing another woman off a cliff has requested to view the scenes related to the crime, according to court documents.

whnt.com

[...]

... In the motion, her attorneys are asking that Carr be allowed to visit Wolf Creek, Carr’s fiancé’s house, and Isbell’s mobile home.

“The facts of this case make it impossible for Loretta Kay Carr to describe the scene to her attorneys in sufficient detail to enable counsel to adequately investigate the scenes of the alleged crime without her presence,” her attorneys explained.

[...]

Carr’s defense team also wants to use the body cam footage from officers involving a search of her home, footage from their interactions with her daughter, and footage including Carr’s fiancé.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 21, 2023

Suspect accused of pushing woman off cliff allowed to view crime scenes: Judge

Loretta Kay Carr and her 22-year-old daughter are accused in the murder of Mary Elizabeth Isbell.

www.rocketcitynow.com

[...]

They asked Carr be allowed access to not only the scene at the cliff, but also other areas marked as crime scenes, including the home of Carr's fiance, RM, and the mobile home belonging to Isbell. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office says that physical evidence from Isbell's home showed signs of a struggle.

According to DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Wheldon, all of the women knew each other and appear to be connected through another person identified as a "boyfriend."

[...]

 

[worm]

I almost wonder if she intends to revisit the place for some kind of strange desire to see it again but fine, whatever it takes to move this along. If I were facing life I’d dive from there when I returned.

 

[vls12345]

I almost wonder if she intends to revisit the place for some kind of strange desire to see it again but fine, whatever it takes to move this along. If I were facing life I’d dive from there when I returned.

If she is granted this, if were her lawyer, I would stay well back from the edge while up there with her. Moo.

 

[worm]

If she is granted this, if were her lawyer, I would stay well back from the edge while up there with her. Moo.

If I’ve learned anything from following this stuff is that no matter who it is, I’ll take a hard pass on any high hike invites. And I enjoy hiking.

 

[MyJoey]

Wonder what made Jesse start talking? Hopefully she’s feeling some remorse. I’m always shocked how heartless people are these days.

 

[worm]

Wonder what made Jesse start talking? Hopefully she’s feeling some remorse. I’m always shocked how heartless people are these days.

Angling for a deal?

 

[moonriverfarm]

Sadly this is not the first time that this kind of murder happened in Little River Canyon. In 1982, Judith Ann and Alvin Neeley pushed Lisa Millican, a young girl who they had kidnapped and tortured, off a cliff at a lookout in the same location.

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 6, 2023

Docs reveal new details in case of DeKalb County mom, daughter charged with pushing woman off cliff

One of the women suspected of pushing a Hartselle woman off a cliff will now have her pretrial hearings closed thanks to a judge's ruling.

www.waaytv.com

One of the women suspected of pushing a Hartselle woman off a cliff will now have her pretrial hearings closed thanks to a judge's ruling.

Jessie Eden Kelly's capital murder case has been bound over to a grand jury after her preliminary hearing Wednesday morning. ...

[...]

According to court documents, the investigator says their most significant break in this case came after he visited Isbell's trailer in DeKalb County. This is where he found a bloody handprint on the wall and blood on the floor. They matched this blood to Isbell from an old rape kit she filed with the Hartselle Police Department. But they could also match the handprint to Kelly based on a previous arrest's finger and hand printing.

[...]

... Records said Kelly watched her mother walk Isbell down to the edge before pushing her off.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In a character reference submitted on Kelly's behalf to a Dekalb County judge, a former inmate locked up with her praised Kelly as a 'kind-hearted child of God', Decatur Daily reports.

Jessie Eden Kelly, 22, is accused of kidnapping Mary Elizabeth Isbell, 37, and throwing her to her death off a cliff

Isbell's remains were discovered almost two years after she was first reported missing by her ex-husband

Alabama woman faces capital murder charge for throwing woman off cliff

Jessie Eden Kelly, 22, is accused of kidnapping Mary Elizabeth Isbell, 37, and shoving her off a cliff at the Little River Canyon nature preserve near Fort Payne.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[worm]

This doesn’t seem to be the doings of “Good hearted child of god” types.

 

[PommyMommy]

FEB 16, 2024

Woman suspected in murder of Hartselle woman asks judge to consider her character

Jessie Kelly and her mother Loretta Carr are charged with Capital Murder for the death of Mary Elizabeth Isbell, who disappeared three years ago.

www.waff.com

A woman suspected in the disappearance and murder of a Hartselle woman is asking the judge to consider her character moving forward.

Jessie Kelly and her mother Loretta Carr are charged with Capital Murder for the death of Mary Elizabeth Isbell, who disappeared three years ago.

On Tuesday, Kelly sent handwritten character witness letters from several of her friends, and a letter that she wrote to the judge over her case.

[...]

READ THE LETTERS (10 pg document): Jessie Kelly Letters | PDF

 

[RickshawFan]

Crazy case, and a terrifying set of circumstances. Gonna go out on a limb and speculate that the boyfriend involved may not have been worth committing a brutal murder over.

I'm a bit confused by the investigator's comment that M was "saved... washed in the blood" -- is this a religious reference (born again / blood of the saviour) or something factual specific to this case?

I had the same confusion. It sounds like a gross criminal event. And I doubt family identified the body or ever saw it in that condition. I decided it was metaphorical, a gory version of "she went to heaven".