Daughter-in-Law Arrested for Brutal Murder of 88-Year-Old Woman

The quiet town of Exeter, New Hampshire, is reeling after authorities announced an arrest in the shocking February killing of 88-year-old Janet Rischeill Kelsen — a murder residents never imagined could happen in their small, close-knit community.

Back in February, neighbors described Exeter as the kind of peaceful New England town where people worry about break-ins, not brutal violence. “You have something like that happen, especially to an elderly person who is defenseless, it’s not really on your mind,” Ward Dilmore, whose wife manages a local craft shop, told Seacoastonline at the time.

Now, nine months later, investigators say they’ve identified the person responsible: Janet’s daughter-in-law.

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced on Nov. 25 that 55-year-old Danielle Kelsen has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder for Janet’s death on Feb. 9. Investigators allege Danielle “recklessly caused the death of Janet Kelsen under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life,” claiming she inflicted blunt-force trauma to the elderly woman’s head.

Danielle has also been charged with wiretapping and eavesdropping for allegedly using an electronic device to record conversations between herself and Janet.

According to WMUR, Danielle and her husband lived with Janet in her Front Street apartment. Just before 6 p.m. on Feb. 9, a relative called 911 to report a medical emergency. At first, police treated Janet’s death as a tragic fall. But detectives soon determined her injuries didn’t match an accidental scenario, shifting the case into a homicide investigation.

Danielle was arrested in Southwest Harbor, Maine, and taken into custody. Senior Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati told WMUR that Danielle is the only person suspected in the killing, emphasizing that no one else in the home is under investigation.

Authorities have not revealed a possible motive.

Danielle appeared for a preliminary hearing to determine whether she was a fugitive from justice. An extradition hearing is set for Dec. 10. Once returned to New Hampshire, she will be arraigned in 10th Circuit Court. It is not clear whether she has an attorney.