Loretta Carr pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping and was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years for the 2021 death of 37-year-old Mary Beth Isbell. Prosecutors say Carr and her daughter, Jessie Kelly, kidnapped Isbell from her home on Oct. 18, 2021, drove her to Wolf Creek Overlook at Little River Canyon and forced her over the barrier; Isbell’s body was later found in the canyon. Kelly pleaded guilty in August 2025 and received a 40-year sentence. Isbell owned a remodeling business and is survived by a teenage son.
Alabama Woman Sentenced To Life After Admitting Role In Kidnapping And Pushing Neighbor Off Cliff
Mary Elizabeth IsbellHartselle Police Department/ Facebook
An Alabama woman has been sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 20 years after pleading guilty in the abduction and death of 37-year-old Mary Beth Isbell.
District Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit announced on Feb. 6, 2026, that Loretta Carr entered guilty pleas to first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping on Feb. 5 in connection with Isbell’s October 2021 disappearance and death, according to court records and local media reports.
Prosecutors say Carr and her daughter, Jessie Kelly, went to Isbell’s home on Oct. 18, 2021, to confront her over a relationship Isbell had with Carr’s significant other. Authorities allege the two attacked Isbell, forced her into a vehicle and drove her away. Investigators relied on witness statements and forensic evidence recovered at Isbell’s residence to reconstruct the events.
Loretta Carr; Jessie KellyDeKalb County Sheriff's Office; Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Later that night the pair allegedly took Isbell to Wolf Creek Overlook at Little River Canyon in Fort Payne. Prosecutors say Carr tied herself to the overlook barrier with a rope, forced Isbell to climb over the rail and then pushed her off the canyon edge. Isbell’s body was discovered in the canyon two years later.
“This is an example of a senseless act destroying a family,” prosecutor Summer Summerford said in a press release. “A mother is left without a daughter, sisters are left without their sibling, and a son is left without his mother.”
Jessie Kelly previously pleaded guilty to murder in August 2025 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Isbell, who owned a remodeling business, left behind a teenage son. Authorities involved in the case included the DeKalb County and Cherokee County sheriff’s offices and the Ninth Judicial Circuit prosecutor’s office.
This sentencing closes a long and painful chapter for Isbell’s family, who cooperated closely with investigators throughout the multi-year inquiry.
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