HIGHLAND, Utah – A nurse has been arrested and charged with allegedly poisoning her friend and former roommate, reportedly to claim a life insurance policy.
According to reports from KUTV, Meggan Randall Sundwall, 47, is accused of murdering Kacee Lyn Terry, 38, by administering a fatal dose of insulin. Authorities believe Sundwall was the beneficiary of a “rumored $1.5 million life insurance policy” held by Terry, as stated in a police booking affidavit.
Back 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 reports that Sundwall admitted to being alone with Terry for the entire day. She told Terry’s uncle that Terry had been suffering for “several hours.” Police documents further revealed that Sundwall had texted Terry earlier that morning, 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 go to the hospital. However, Terry was not diabetic, and a diabetic needle was found at the scene. When Terry arrived at the hospital, her blood sugar level was measured at 14, a dangerously low level; a blood sugar level of 40 is considered life-threatening, according to KUTV. Terry’s sister informed hospital staff that Terry had been diagnosed with leukemia several years prior, according to a search warrant.
“(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 reportedly stated.
Terry’s family consulted with her primary care physician at the hospital, who confirmed she never had cancer. The autopsy revealed no underlying health conditions, and no do-not-resuscitate order was found. The doctor also stated that Sundwall was not Terry’s power of attorney, according to KSL.
Police documents indicate Sundwall believed she was the beneficiary of a $1.5 million life insurance policy taken out by Terry.
Investigators discovered over 28,000 text messages exchanged between Sundwall and Terry dating back to December 2019. These messages included several years of conversations “detailing different ways Meggan would kill herself if she was (the victim) and of Meggan offering to ‘help’ (her) die,” according to authorities.
Additional text messages discussed Sundwall’s financial difficulties and how she could resolve them by obtaining Terry’s life insurance money, as per police findings.
Sundwall was booked into the Utah County Jail on Thursday on charges of aggravated murder and obstruction of justice. The Office of the Medical Examiner determined that Terry’s cause of death was an overdose of promethazine, probable exogenous insulin, and other drugs.
