- Jessie Eden Kelly, 22, is accused of pushing 37-year-old Mary Elizabeth Isbell to her death.
- She is charged along with her mother Loretta Kay Carr, 45, who also faces a capital murder charge.
- Prosecutors say the women kidnapped Isbell before throwing her off a cliff in the Little River Canyon Nature Reserve near Fort Payne, Alabama.
An Alabama woman facing capital murder charges for kidnapping a woman and throwing her to her death off a cliff has submitted a character reference to the judge claiming she is a “daughter of God.”
Jessie Eden Kelly, 22, is accused of kidnapping Mary Elizabeth Isbell, 37, and pushing her off a cliff in the Little River Canyon Nature Reserve near Fort Payne.
Isbell’s remains were found in June, almost two years after her ex-husband reported her missing.
Prosecutors say Kelly pushed her to death with the help of her mother Loretta Kay Carr, 45, who also faces a capital murder charge. The three women are believed to have been connected through a “boyfriend.”
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 daughter of God.” daily decatur 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 nearly two years after her ex-husband first reported her missing.
Kelly’s mother, Loretta Kay Carr, 45, also faces capital murder charges for allegedly helping to kill Isbell.
At the time of her mother’s arrest in June, Kelly was incarcerated in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition to Missouri on felony robbery charges. She was extradited to Alabama in July.
Eight letters from fellow inmates in support of his character were filed in Dekalb County District Court on Tuesday.
“She is truly a bright, well-intentioned and intelligent young woman who I believe could be easily taken advantage of due to her sweet nature and trusting spirit,” one cellmate wrote.
Others described Kelly as “naive” and “innocent,” while one person said they don’t believe Kelly, “she completely understands how serious her situation is.”
Isbell’s remains were discovered on what would have been his 39th birthday.
Immediately after receiving the report of her disappearance, police obtained a warrant to search her home, which showed signs of a struggle, including a bloody handprint.
Investigators were able to match Isbell’s blood using DNA from an old rape kit the victim had presented to the Hartselle Police Department. WAAY31 reports.
The handprint matched Kelly’s based on previous arrests and fingerprints.
The women were connected to each other through a “boyfriend,” say prosecutors, who called the defendant’s conduct “inhumane.” Kelly has since submitted character references to a judge in her case who claims she is a “Daughter of God.”
Isbell’s remains were found at the foot of a cliff in the Little River Canyon Nature Reserve near Fort Payne, Alabama.
Court records indicate Kelly and Carr showed up at Isbell’s trailer in 2021 and fought with her. Carr is accused of repeatedly hitting the victim in the head with a gun.
They then transported Isbell to Carr’s home, forcing her to shower to wash off the blood before taking her to the nature preserve, documents state.
Once there, Kelly watched her mother walk Isbell to the edge before pushing her.
‘It’s very inhuman. “It’s brutal what these women did to Mary,” said Nick Brown, chief investigator for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.
‘They are all acquaintances, mainly from a boyfriend. They all come back to a specific person.’