Loretta Carr, an Alabama woman, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 murder of Mary Beth Isbell, along with an additional 20-year sentence for kidnapping her. She pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping on February 5, 2026, in DeKalb County, Alabama.
What happened to Mary Beth Isbell
According to prosecutors, on the night of October 18, 2021, Carr and her daughter, Jessie Kelly, went to Isbell’s home to confront her over a relationship Isbell had with Carr’s significant other. They attacked Isbell, forced her against her will into their vehicle, and drove her to the Wolf Creek Overlook at Little River Canyon National Park near Fort Payne, Alabama. At the overlook, Carr tied herself to a barrier with a rope, compelled Isbell to climb over the barrier, and then forced her off the side of the canyon, causing her death.
Discovery of the body and investigation
Isbell was reported missing by family in late 2021, and her disappearance remained unsolved for nearly two years. Investigators later received credible information in June 2023 that led them to search Little River Canyon, where Isbell’s remains were located below Wolf Creek Overlook on June 28, 2023, and positively identified shortly afterward. That information also led to the arrests of Carr and Kelly, who were charged with murder and kidnapping in connection with Isbell’s death.
Sentences for the mother and daughter
Carr, now in her late 40s, received a life sentence for murder, plus 20 years for kidnapping, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively, meaning she is expected to spend the rest of her life in prison. Her daughter, Jessie Kelly, previously pleaded guilty in 2025 to a lesser charge of murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison; she had been expected to testify against her mother if the case went to trial.
Statement from authorities
District Attorney Summer Summerford described the killing as a “senseless act” that devastated Isbell’s family, noting that a mother lost her daughter, siblings lost their sister, and a young son lost his mother. She also emphasized that Isbell’s family had cooperated closely with law enforcement throughout the investigation and asked the public to keep them in their thoughts as they learn to live without their loved one.
