Jury finds Santaquin nurse guilty of manslaughter, not murder, in death of her friend

PROVO — A Santaquin nurse, Meggan Sundwall, was found guilty of manslaughter and obstruction of justice Tuesday in her friend's insulin overdose death. She was found not guilty of aggravated murder, as she was charged.

The jury began deliberating the case on Monday afternoon and returned to the courthouse Tuesday, deliberating all day before the verdict was read at 5 p.m.

Kacee Lyn Terry, 38, of Highland, was found unresponsive by her uncle on Aug. 12 2024, with Sundwall sitting near her in her bedroom along with Sundwall's parents. She was hospitalized in a diabetic coma and was later taken off life support.

She and Sundwall, 48, had a long history of texts, including many shown during the trial, discussing Terry's plans to die by suicide using insulin.

Kylee Clark, Terry's sister, said after the verdict that there is "no real winner."

"Nothing will bring Kacee back to us. We feel bad for Meggan's family and son, who is now without his mother, but feel grateful that justice is served and we can move on from this tragedy," she said.

Before being handed the case, the jury heard closing arguments from defense attorney Scott Williams, who said the jury needed proof. He said this was not "Nancy Drew" or a reality TV show.

"Our system requires proof, not just a good stringing together of suspicious-looking things," he said.

He questioned why prosecutors did not think suicide was a possibility, and said it was a "classic example" of quasi-suicide, or a suicide attempt that is not meant to end in death.

Williams said if Sundwall was intending to kill her friend, she would not have invited her parents over.

Lauren Hunt, deputy Utah County attorney, argued that the case boils down to who was in control and that Sundwall had that control.

"Ultimately, what happened down in that basement on Aug. 12, 2024, was not chaos, it was not confusion, it was not a tragic misunderstanding, it was not a best friend merely helping out her other best friend in the whole world. This was control. And the person who was in control during that entire time frame sits at that table — Meggan Sundwall," she said.

She said Terry was not suicidal — she had made plans for future surgeries and was doing online shopping shortly before her death. She said she was seeking attention from her friend and told escalating lies to get that attention.

"The defendant was a nurse; she understood the vulnerability, she knew the lies, she recognized the control she had over Kacee, and yet she didn't treat this as a mental illness," Hunt said, citing texts between the two friends.

She said Sundwall escalated the situation and deliberately blocked her rescue, sitting with her while her condition worsened.

After the verdict, Lone Peak Police Chief Brian Gwilliam said the department "conducted a thorough and deliberate investigation of this incredibly complex and difficult case."

He thanked the officers, detectives and prosecutors for their commitment to the facts during the trial and expressed appreciation to the jury members for their "thoughtful deliberation."

"We continue to keep Kacee Lyn Terry's family and loved ones in our thoughts. We hope today's verdict provides a measure of closure after an extraordinarily difficult loss," Gwilliam said.

Sundwall will be sentenced on May 4.

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