A 102-year-old Massechussett’s woman could face a second-degree murder charge — if she’s ever deemed competent during one of her monthly dementia check-ups.
According to The Associate Press, Laura Lundquist was 98 years old when she allegedly strangled her 100-year-old nursing home roommate, Elizabeth Barrow (pictured above) in 2009. Laura was charged with first-degree murder at the time, making her the oldest murder defendant in state history. She was indicted because she wasn’t believed to have cognitive ability to form premeditation.
After the first trial, prosecutors began pursuing second-degree murder charges. However, Laura hasn’t been able to stand trail because of her dementia diagnosis.
“It would be like prosecuting a 2-year-old,” said the victim’s son, Scott Barrow. “It’s just an awful thing that happened. How could she be held accountable for this when she’s not in her right mind?”
Prosecutors believe it’s unlikely Laura will ever stand trail. She now resides at a state psychiatric hospital.
With the outlook for criminal justice appearing dim, Scott Barrow and his family sued the nursing home where their matriarch was murdered. Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter said the victim voiced concerns about her roommate, but didn’t want to change rooms because it was where she last lived with her late husband. Scott Picone, the nursing home’s chief of operations, argued the women were close and there was no reason for safety concerns.
The Barrow family’s original lawsuit was a failure, as jurors found the nursing home wasn’t negligent. The family appealed the ruling; The Massachusetts Appeals Court reconsidered the case this spring and is expected to make a decision about sending it back to trial shortly.
