Kelly Purnell (1971 - 2016) was the victim in Lifeless in Seattle (Case #51 of World Edition).
Profile
Kelly was a 45-year-old journalist for Wolf News, a fervent supporter of the USNay movement. She had short curly brown hair, brown eyes, and wore a diamond earring. At the time of her death, she donned a red dress with a Wolf News badge on it.
Murder details
Kelly was found on the USNay bus with a pocket knife sticking out of her neck. Since it was found in her, the knife was labeled as the murder weapon. According to Grace, the wound was punctured at a haphazard angle, suggesting the killer struck the carotid artery by chance. The knife itself among the merchandise the USNay movement was selling. However, she found burns marks containing traces of coffee, whole milk and chocolate syrup; all of which are ingredients in mocha. This meant the killer drank mocha.
Relationship with suspects
Kelly regularly worked with cameraman Evan Clarke, who had installed cameras in her hotel room to spy on her although he claimed that it was her who asked them to be installed there for her protection. USNay movement leader Robert Hicks had argued with Kelly, believing that she had started acting like the real star of the movement when it was he who was the star. Erin Bryant and the rest of O.M. MediLab were supplying Kelly with anti-anxiety pills although Erin claimed that the pills were asked for by Kelly and were not bribes. Kelly's mother, Virginia Purnell, had gone to Seattle after Kelly declined the invitation to attend her father's funeral as she was too busy. Barista Ana Gutierrez offered Kelly a laxative-laced pie after Kelly had told her that she preferred her drink made by a "real" American despite her family being in the United States for three generations.
Killer and motives
The killer turned out to be Virginia.
After denying involvement, Virginia admitted to the crime. Virginia could not stand when Kelly had left their home to work at the big city, leaving Virginia and her husband Hector heartbroken. When Kelly refused to attend to Hector's funeral after his death, Virginia had lost her temper, so she stabbed Kelly in the neck with a USNay pocket knife. Judge Adaku ordered her stay in a maximum security psychiatric hospital.
Trivia
- Kelly's death at the hands of her own mother is one of the instances of domestic homicide in World Edition.
Case appearances
- Lifeless in Seattle (Case #51 of World Edition)
Gallery
