Utah nurse Meggan Randall Sundwall faces aggravated murder charges after killing her friend with insulin to claim a $1.5 million life insurance policy that never existed.
Quick Takes
- Sundwall, a registered nurse, falsely convinced her friend Kacee Terry she had terminal cancer then administered a lethal insulin overdose.
- Police discovered 28,000 manipulative text messages where Sundwall detailed different methods to kill Terry and offered to “help her die.”
- An autopsy revealed Terry had no cancer or other health issues, contradicting Sundwall’s claims of a terminal diagnosis.
- Despite Sundwall’s belief she would receive $1.5 million, investigators found no life insurance policy naming her as beneficiary.
- Sundwall faces first-degree felony aggravated murder and third-degree felony obstruction of justice charges.
Years-Long Deception Revealed
In a disturbing breach of medical ethics and human decency, Utah nurse Meggan Randall Sundwall stands accused of manipulating her friend Kacee Lyn Terry into believing she had terminal cancer before killing her with a lethal insulin overdose. The elaborate plot, which police say was motivated by Sundwall’s desire to claim a $1.5 million life insurance policy, culminated in Terry’s death on August 15. Investigators found no evidence Terry had cancer or any other significant health issues, nor was there any record of a do-not-resuscitate order that Sundwall claimed existed.
Authorities discovered that Sundwall had been plotting Terry’s murder for years through a systematic campaign of deception. According to court documents, investigators found approximately 28,000 text messages from Sundwall to Terry over a three-year period. These messages revealed the sinister nature of Sundwall’s plan, with explicit discussions about “detailing different ways” to end Terry’s life and “offering to ‘help’ [the victim] die.” This calculated betrayal represents one of the most egregious violations of trust between a healthcare provider and patient in recent memory.
The Fatal Final Day
On the day of Terry’s death, Sundwall’s calculated plan reached its deadly conclusion. Text messages recovered by investigators revealed Sundwall asked Terry, “Do you want to take some promethazine when I get there so that you are asleep when this is happening?” This message, sent hours before Terry’s death, demonstrates Sundwall’s intent to sedate her victim before administering the lethal insulin dose. An autopsy later confirmed that Terry died from an overdose of insulin and promethazine, despite not being diabetic or having any medical need for insulin.
“Do you want to take some promethazine when I get there so that you are asleep when this is happening?” Sundwall texted Terry on the day of her death, according to court documents.
When emergency responders arrived at Terry’s home, they found her unresponsive. Sundwall falsely informed them that Terry was suffering from “major, major health issues” and claimed she would die “in a couple of hours.” Sundwall further obstructed proper medical care by telling first responders “that Kacee had a DNR and she did not want to go to the hospital,” according to Mark Farnsworth, Kacee’s uncle. In reality, no DNR was ever filed, and Terry had never been diagnosed with cancer or any terminal illness.
Family Deceived, Evidence Destroyed
The depth of Sundwall’s deception extended beyond her victim to include Terry’s family members. Terry’s sisters told investigators they believed their sister “had terminal cancer for 4-5 years but had been doing better.” This elaborate fiction, created and maintained by Sundwall, prevented Terry’s family from questioning her declining health or seeking second opinions that might have exposed the truth. It also masked Sundwall’s increasingly controlling relationship with Terry, which culminated in her administering the fatal doses that ended Terry’s life.
After Terry’s death, Sundwall attempted to cover her tracks by deleting more than 900 text messages between herself and the victim. She also made multiple searches for Terry’s life insurance policy, desperately seeking the $1.5 million payout she believed would be coming her way. However, investigators found no evidence of any life insurance policy naming Sundwall as beneficiary, nor any power of attorney documents giving Sundwall legal authority over Terry’s affairs. The murder case has shocked the small community, marking the first homicide investigation in the area in over a decade.
Justice and Professional Consequences
Sundwall now faces first-degree felony aggravated murder and third-degree felony obstruction of justice charges. She is being held without bail as the case proceeds through the legal system. Beyond the criminal charges, the Utah Division of Professional Licensing has launched its own investigation into Sundwall’s conduct, which will likely result in the permanent revocation of her nursing license. This case represents not just a personal betrayal but a fundamental violation of the medical oath to “first, do no harm.”
The shocking nature of this case highlights serious concerns about patient vulnerability and the sacred trust placed in healthcare providers. When medical professionals abuse their knowledge and position to harm rather than heal, it undermines public confidence in the entire healthcare system. As this case proceeds through the legal system, it serves as a stark reminder of why thorough background checks, proper oversight, and accountability mechanisms must be rigorously maintained in healthcare settings to protect vulnerable patients from those who would exploit them.
