A Utah nurse has been accused of murder after convincing her friend she was dying of cancer, before allegedly fatally poisoning her for her life insurance payout.
Meggan Randall Sundwall, 47, was arrested Thursday and is accused of obstruction of justice and aggravated murder in the death of her friend Kacee Lyn Terry, 38, Utah County Jail records show.
Over a five-year period, Sundwall convinced Terry she was suffering from cancer even though she was healthy, according to court documents seen by KSL.
Sundwall tried to convince her friend to “end her suffering” by taking a fatal dose of insulin after she believed Terry was the beneficiary of a “rumored $1.5 million life insurance policy.”
“Detectives were told by Kacee’s family and friends that Meggan had been trying to kill Kacee, with insulin, for years. This theory was corroborated through digital evidence located on the victim’s phone,” Lone Peak police said, according to KSL.
There were more than 28,000 messages between the pair that detail different ways Sundwall would kill herself if she was Terry and of her offering to “help” her friend die, the police booking affidavit seen by the outlet said.
Messages allegedly also detailed money problems Sundwall and her husband were having after she lost her job.
“Meggan Randall Sundwall is a licensed registered nurse who intentionally administered insulin to a nondiabetic. Meggan knew this would kill Kacee. Evidence shows that Meggan was having money problems and that this was done to improve her financial situation,” police said.
On August 12 last year, Terry was found by her uncle unconscious and struggling to breathe in her bedroom with Sundwall. She told him Terry had a “do not resuscitate” medical order and did not want to go to hospital, but the affidavit said medical staff could not locate the order and added Sundwall had not been given power of attorney.
When paramedics arrived at the scene, they found a diabetic needle but noted that Terry was not diabetic, an arrest report said.
Terry was taken to hospital and placed in the intensive care unit. While there, her sister told officers Terry had suffered with terminal cancer “for 4 – 5 years but had been doing better,” the affidavit said.
She was declared brain dead in the hospital and died on August 15 last year. The cause of death was an overdose of promethazine, probable exogenous insulin, and other drugs, the Office of the Medical Examiner confirmed.
An autopsy confirmed that Terry “had no cancer and no health problems,” the affidavit said.
Loved ones paid tribute to Terry in an obituary. “Kacee’s wish in life more than anything was to be a mom, she loved babysitting and couldn’t wait to have her own family,” it said. “Although Kacee was never able to have children of her own, she filled the roll [sic] of mom to many kids.”
“Although we don’t understand why it was time for her to go so soon we find comfort in knowing that she is healthy, happy and with people she loves,” the obituary added.
Sundwall is being held by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office without bail.
