Mother of Three Beaten to Death with Rock by Adult Daughter in Milwaukee

Strategic Insights -

A lifelong friend and neighbor described Carrie Zettel, a 64-year-old woman who was brutally beaten to death with a stone by her 29-year-old adult daughter, as a kind and loving person who would "take my daughter to work, take her to Thanksgiving, Christmas... It was just always us." Susan Henderson-Hoffman and her daughter Loretta Moyer said they had known Zettel since childhood and had remained close into their 60s, with Moyer considering Zettel to be a second mother. The women said they had been aware of Zettel's fear of her daughter and had expressed their concerns to authorities, but the daughter had a history of violating restraining orders and was deemed incompetent to stand trial twice. The police took the daughter into custody, and court records show she had a history of domestic abuse.

Key Takeaways:

  • Carrie Zettel, a 64-year-old woman, was beaten to death with a stone by her 29-year-old adult daughter in Milwaukee.
  • Zettel's lifelong friends and neighbors, Susan Henderson-Hoffman and Loretta Moyer, said they had known her since childhood and considered her a second mother.
  • The daughter had previously been charged with violating restraining orders and was deemed incompetent to stand trial twice.
  • Zettel's daughters had a history of domestic abuse, with Moyer saying "every day she was terrified of her."
  • Despite being aware of Zettel's fear, authorities were unable to prevent the attack.
  • The women said they believed the system failed to protect someone who knew they were in danger.

Statistics:

  • 3:53 a.m. Sunday: Zettel called Moyer to report her daughter was trying to get into her house.
  • 4 a.m. Sunday: Zettel left a voicemail for Moyer, saying her daughter had been awakened by her daughter pounding on the doors and windows.
  • 2 years prior: A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge ruled the 29-year-old daughter was incompetent to stand trial.
  • 2 months after the domestic abuse restraining order was issued in February 2018: The 29-year-old daughter was charged twice with violating the order.
  • 2020: The 29-year-old daughter was charged with misdemeanor battery and theft, with a judge again ruling her incompetent.
  • 12+ squad cars and forensics vehicles surrounded the south side home of the victim for most of the afternoon.

Sources:

  • "Milwaukee police investigating fatal beating on south side" on WDJT
  • "Court records" - names the adult daughter and lists the charges against her