GRAFTON, WV – A Taylor County woman could spend up to 15 years in prison after admitting she fatally injected her 81-year-old mother with insulin during a heated argument last spring.
Kelly Louise Moore, 61, entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter in the May 2023 death of her mother, Ethel Moore. She faces a sentence ranging from three to 15 years behind bars following a forthcoming sentencing hearing.
Originally charged with murder, Kelly Moore’s plea agreement reflects prosecutors’ assessment that the killing was not premeditated or carried out with malice. Authorities noted that legal complexities surrounding the use of insulin and intent factored into the decision to offer a manslaughter plea.
On May 25, 2023, emergency crews responded just before midnight to a cardiac arrest call at an apartment in Grafton, about 140 miles northeast of Charleston. EMTs arrived to find Ethel Moore deceased. According to police documents, Kelly Moore told responders she and her mother were both diabetic, but only she was prescribed insulin.
Investigators said Kelly Moore injected her mother with a 20-unit dose of insulin after an argument, citing her mother’s elevated blood sugar levels. While Ethel Moore had diabetes, she did not have a prescription for insulin, and the dosage administered was significant given her frail condition. Authorities later noted Kelly Moore weighed more than twice as much as her mother.
Following the injection, Kelly Moore made an immediate 911 call. Police found her at the scene, initially appearing angry as she spoke on the phone, though she reportedly broke down in tears after the medical examiner arrived. She described her mother as suffering from heart issues, dementia, and recent complications from hip surgery.
Relatives told investigators that prior to her death, Ethel Moore reached out to other family members, expressing frustration with her daughter’s care. This led to further family concern and eventually prompted a deeper investigation.
An autopsy completed in August concluded Ethel Moore died from insulin shock, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide. Prosecutors noted that, under West Virginia law, insulin is not classified as a poison, complicating the pursuit of a murder charge.
Kelly Moore did not inform her sister about administering the insulin, leading the family initially to believe that complications from the recent surgery were to blame. It was only after detective interviews and a review of the autopsy that the true circumstances emerged.
Ethel Moore was remembered by her family and community as a loving mother of five, a grandmother, and an engaging presence who cherished family connections and simple pleasures like shopping trips and reading.
A judge will determine Kelly Moore’s sentence at a future hearing after the completion of a pre-sentencing report.