HIGHLAND, Utah – A registered nurse has been arrested and charged with aggravated murder and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of her friend and former roommate. Meggan Randall Sundwall, 47, is accused of fatally poisoning 38-year-old Kacee Lyn Terry, allegedly to collect on a life insurance policy.
According to reports from KUTV, Sundwall is alleged to have administered a lethal dose of insulin to Terry. Authorities believe Sundwall thought she was the beneficiary of a $1.5 million life insurance policy held by Terry, as stated in a police booking affidavit.
In August, emergency services were called to a residence after Terry’s uncle found her unresponsive and struggling to breathe, according to KSL. The uncle reportedly told the 911 operator that Terry had “major, major health issues,” and it “sounds like she’s drowning.”
KUTV reported that Sundwall admitted to being alone with Terry throughout the day. She informed Terry’s uncle that Terry had been suffering for “several hours.” Police documents show that, earlier that morning, Sundwall texted Terry, asking, “Do you want to take some promethazine when I get there so that you are asleep when this is happening?”
Sundwall claimed Terry had signed a do-not-resuscitate order and did not want to be taken to the hospital. However, Terry was not diabetic, yet a diabetic needle was found at the scene. At the hospital, Terry’s blood sugar level measured 14, as reported by KUTV. A blood sugar level of 40 is considered life-threatening. According to a search warrant, Terry’s sister informed hospital staff that Terry had been diagnosed with leukemia years prior.
“[Terry’s sister] stated that she moved Kacee out of the shared apartment and into her grandfather’s house where she lives now due to Kacee complaining about Meggan bringing insulin home and trying to talk Kacee into treatments to help end her suffering,” the warrant stated.
Terry’s family spoke with her primary care physician at the hospital. The doctor stated that Terry did not have cancer, her autopsy revealed no health issues, and no do-not-resuscitate order was found. KSL also reports that the doctor stated Sundwall was not Terry’s power of attorney.
Police discovered over 28,000 text messages between Sundwall and Terry, dating back to December 2019. According to authorities, the texts included four years of messages “detailing different ways Meggan would kill herself if she was [the victim] and of Meggan offering to ‘help’ [her] die.” Additional text messages reportedly detailed Sundwall’s financial difficulties and how she could resolve them if she obtained Terry’s life insurance money.
The Utah County Jail booked Sundwall on Thursday. The Office of the Medical Examiner confirmed Terry’s cause of death was an overdose of promethazine, probable exogenous insulin, and other drugs.