Utah nurse Meggan Randall Sundwall faces aggravated murder charges after allegedly killing her friend by injecting her with insulin while falsely claiming the victim had terminal cancer – all to collect a $1.5 million life insurance policy that didn’t exist.
Key Takeaways
- Meggan Sundwall, a Utah registered nurse, allegedly manipulated her friend Kacee Terry for years, convincing her and her family she had terminal cancer when medical records confirmed she was completely healthy.
- Police discovered over 28,000 text messages from Sundwall to Terry detailing ways to kill her and offering to “help” her die, despite Terry having no major health issues.
- Investigators found Sundwall administered unprescribed insulin and promethazine to Terry, causing her brain death in August 2024, while falsely claiming Terry had a do-not-resuscitate order.
- After Terry’s death, Sundwall searched for her life insurance policy and deleted over 900 text messages to destroy evidence, but investigators found no actual policy naming Sundwall as beneficiary.
- Sundwall has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder and third-degree felony obstruction of justice and is being held without bail.
Years of Manipulation and Deception
Investigators have uncovered a disturbing pattern of manipulation by Sundwall, who allegedly spent years convincing Terry she was terminally ill while secretly plotting to claim a life insurance payout. Police discovered over 28,000 text messages between the two women, with Sundwall regularly messaging Terry about “detailing different ways” to end her life and “offering to ‘help’ [the victim] die,” according to court documents.
The elaborate deception extended beyond Terry herself. Her family members told investigators they believed Terry “had terminal cancer for 4-5 years but had been doing better,” according to NBC News. However, an autopsy conducted after Terry’s death revealed she had no cancer or any other significant health issues that would warrant end-of-life care. The entire terminal illness narrative appears to have been fabricated by Sundwall over a period of years.
The Fatal Day and Attempted Cover-Up
On the day of Terry’s death, Sundwall sent a chilling text asking, “Do you want to take some promethazine when I get there so that you are asleep when this is happening?” Hours later, Terry was found unresponsive at her home. When emergency responders arrived, Sundwall insisted “that Kacee had a DNR and she did not want to go to the hospital,” stated Mark Farnsworth, Terry’s uncle.
Farnsworth told reporters that Sundwall claimed Terry had been suffering from “major, major health issues.” She also insisted that death would occur “in a couple of hours.” Despite these claims, investigators found no evidence of a do-not-resuscitate order or any power of attorney document giving Sundwall authority over Terry’s medical decisions.
Medical Evidence Reveals Murder
Terry died on August 15 from what medical examiners determined was an overdose of insulin and promethazine. This finding was particularly suspicious since Terry was not diabetic and had no legitimate prescription for insulin. Toxicology reports indicated lethal levels of both medications in her system, consistent with intentional administration rather than accidental overdose.
“The investigation revealed that there was evidence of Terry having been administered insulin, for which she did not have a prescription, and promethazine, which was found in her bedroom and had been filled for Sundwall, not Terry,” the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office stated in their report.
Failed Financial Motive
Despite Sundwall’s apparent belief that she would inherit a substantial life insurance payout following Terry’s death, investigators found no evidence that any such policy existed. After Terry’s death, Sundwall’s search history revealed multiple inquiries about Terry’s life insurance policy, but authorities found no documentation naming Sundwall as a beneficiary for any insurance payout.
Court documents indicate Sundwall was experiencing financial difficulties at the time of the alleged murder. Within hours of Terry’s death, Sundwall attempted to delete over 900 text messages from her phone, which investigators later recovered. The deleted messages contained incriminating details about Sundwall’s plans and actions leading up to Terry’s death.
Legal Proceedings and Professional Consequences
Sundwall has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder and third-degree felony obstruction of justice. She is currently being held without bail at the Box Elder County Jail. The case has sent shockwaves through the community, as it represents the first murder investigation in the area in over a decade.
The Utah Division of Professional Licensing has launched an investigation into Sundwall’s nursing credentials and professional conduct. As a registered nurse, Sundwall held a position of trust and had medical knowledge that allegedly enabled her to carry out the murder using prescription medications while creating a false narrative about her victim’s health status.
