98-year-old woman accused of killing 100-year-old roommate

The homicide occurred back in September at a Dartmouth nursing home. Investigators initially believed Elizabeth had committed suicide but eventually an autopsy proved that she was strangled, forcing them to recommend a murder charge against Laura.

Woman charged in nursing home murder

On Friday, Laura was indicted on a second-degree murder charge for the strangulation death of Elizabeth Barrow. A judge ordered Laura to be placed in a state mental hospital for a competency evaluation before her arraignment.

Laura’s defense attorney, Carl Levin, said she has a "long-standing diagnosis of dementia, as well as issues of cognitive impairment."

"Her family is very saddened for the loss of Ms Barrow and they are also very saddened by what's happened," he added.

"Without acknowledging her responsibility, it's a sad event for both families. It just really points to the issue of mental health with the elderly."

Laura and Elizabeth had been sharing a room at the Brandon Woods nursing home in Dartmouth for about a year when the death occurred.

Unthinkable crime-family devastated
Elizabeth was found dead in her bed Sept. 24 with a plastic bag tied around her head. Police initially speculated that the victim committed suicide, but a medical examiner ruled it a homicide after an autopsy indicated strangulation.

"We're devastated," Elizabeth’s son Scott Barrow told Boston's WCVB-TV. "I mean, my mother was well-loved. She loved everyone at the nursing home. She had a daily routine where she would go up and down the hallway and hug people who weren't as fortunate as she."

Requests were made to separate the women
Scott said he repeatedly asked the Brandon Woods nursing home officials to separate the two women, claiming that his mother was being harassed and threatened by Laura, who complained to nursing home officials about the number of visitors Elizabeth received.

In response to Scott’s frequent requests to separate the two women, the home officials assured him the two were getting along.

Scott Picone, executive director at the nursing home, said: "The two women presented like sisters as they took daily walks together around the facility, ate lunch together every day, and were heard nightly saying, "goodnight, I love you" to each other."

Laura denied her involvement
According to Bristol District Attorney Sam Sutter, Elizabeth complained in the weeks prior to her death that Laura was making her life "a living hell' because she thought Barrow was taking over the room.

The night before the murder, Sutter says Laura put a table at the foot of her bed trying to block Elizabeth's way to the bathroom. And, when a nurse's aide moved the table out of the way, Laura allegedly punched the aide.

On the morning of the 24th, nurse's aides saw Elizabeth returning to bed from her bathroom at 6am, and mere twenty minutes later she was discovered dead.

"Ms. Lundquist immediately denied that she had done anything to Ms. Barrow. At that time, however, no one had accused her of anything. Nor were those working or the police aware that anyone caused Ms. Barrow's death," Sutter said.