Sartaj Singh
Directed by Paula Elle, ‘When Mom Becomes a Murderer’ tells the story of a teen who begins to suspect that her mother is a murderer and that her life is in danger. Ellie, who plans to sneak into a bar with her friends after graduation, is caught by her mother. Despite being severely reprimanded, she tries to meet up with her popular friend, Nancy, covertly but is once again discovered by her mother.
Furious with Nancy’s bad influence over her daughter, she drives away, and the teen is found dead at the bottom of a cliff the very next day. While there is no conclusive evidence, Ellie’s mother’s jewelry is found at the scene of the crime, leading her daughter to dig into her past and discover troubling events. The Lifetime thriller presents a shocking plotline shrouded with uncertainties, accidents, and murder, prompting our own investigation into any real events present behind it.
When Mom Becomes a Murderer and the Mysterious Cliff Murder
The plotline and characters of ‘When Mom Becomes a Murderer’ are largely fictional; however, the story is inspired by true events. While no particular true-crime incident matches up with the movie’s narrative perfectly, there are many parallels that can be drawn between it and the suspected murder of Mary Elizabeth Isbell in Alabama. Isbell was a divorced mother in her 30s who almost became homeless after her boyfriend went to prison in 2021. She moved between friends’ homes and made ends meet however she could. Her family did not have too much contact with her during this time but suspected that she became involved with the wrong people. In December 2021, she was reported missing by her ex-husband.
It was only in June 2023 that officers found human remains at the bottom of a cliff in Little River Canyon National Preserve, and forensics confirmed that they belonged to Isbell. In the same month, the police came upon a Facebook post by Loretta Kay Carr, which showed her taking a picture atop that very cliff. Upon further investigation, they claim to have found physical evidence at Isbell’s home that pointed towards Carr and her daughter, Jessie Eden Kelly, as the suspects. The two were arrested three days prior to the remains being discovered with the help of a local woman. Jessie was arrested in Pennsylvania and was extradited to Alabama.
In April 2024, the two were indicted by a DeKalb County Grand Jury. According to the indictment, Carr kidnapped Isbell and pushed her off the cliff on October 18, 2021. The State of Alabama has declared that it will be seeking a death penalty against Carr on charges of kidnapping and capital murder. “’We would like to thank the Pennsylvania State Police Corry Barracks, Huntsville Search Dog Unit, State of Alabama Aviation Unit, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Fischer Rescue Squad, and all the volunteers who helped during this investigation for all their hard work and dedication,” said DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden in a statement. “Each individual played an important role in bringing Beth home and holding those responsible for this horrific crime accountable.”
The Uncertainty Surrounding Isbell’s Disappearance
However, it is not clear if Isbell was a friend of Jessie and what their enmity may have been. Carr’s defense asserts that there is not enough evidence to confine her or send the case to a grand jury, and she has submitted a not guilty plea by reason of mental defect. Furthermore, there seems to be some discrepancy in the reports made so far regarding Isbell’s disappearance and the date of her supposed murder. A few months before she went missing, the 37-year-old was suspected of a theft at the apartment she was staying at with her boyfriend. While Carr is accused of pushing Isbell off the cliff on October 18, 2021, according to another police report, she visited her mother in Hartselle on November 22, 2021, and was seen the next day across from her son’s school.
While the motive and connection between the deceased and the accused have not been made apparent, the circumstances described by the police seem to have several similarities with Lifetime’s ‘When Mom Becomes a Murderer.’ Like in the film, a mother-daughter duo becomes embroiled in a murder case that has mysterious and suspicious circumstances surrounding it. Prominently, both crime scenes are a sheer rocky cliff where both the supposed murderers left significant evidence behind. Therefore, while ‘When Mom Becomes a Murderer’ is a fictional movie written by Declan Dineen, Lucy Foster, and Victoria Saxton, it appears to take significant inspiration from real-life cases such as the mysterious disappearance of Mary Elizabeth Isbell.
Read More: Lifetime’s Sister Wife Murder: Is the Movie Based on a True Story?
