Utah Nurse Convicted of Manslaughter in Friend's Fatal Insulin Overdose

Meggan Sundwall, a 48-year-old registered nurse, convinced her best friend she had terminal cancer, then used insulin to kill her in a scheme built around a $1.5 million life insurance policy that investigators say never existed. A Provo jury convicted Sundwall of manslaughter and obstruction of justice on Tuesday, nearly 19 months after Kacee Lyn Terry, 38, of Highland, was found unresponsive in her bedroom and later taken off life support.

Terry's uncle found her unconscious on August 12, 2024, at the home near 6000 West and Stevens Lane in Highland, with Sundwall sitting beside her and Sundwall's parents also present in the room. Before law enforcement arrived, a 911 caller reported that Terry was struggling to breathe "as if she were drowning" and had "major, major health issues." Responding paramedics found a diabetic needle in the home. Police documents confirmed Terry was not diabetic, and an autopsy revealed no serious underlying health conditions. Court TV reported that investigators attributed her death to a fatal dose of insulin.

The prosecution's case leaned heavily on a text message record that numbered roughly 28,000 messages exchanged between the two friends. Court documents showed Sundwall had spent years urging Terry to end her life with insulin, writing in one message, "I can give you insulin over and over until it works," and in another, "give you doses so it will actually stay low, and you can pass." The jury unanimously found that Sundwall deleted nearly 1,000 of those messages, forming the basis of the obstruction of justice conviction.

Deputy Utah County Attorney Lauren Hunt framed the case in her closing argument around the question of 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," Hunt told the jury.

The defense countered that Sundwall's decision to have her parents present was inconsistent with premeditated intent to kill. The jury acquitted Sundwall of the top charge, aggravated murder, convicting her instead on the lesser manslaughter count after roughly 10 hours of deliberations spread across two days. The verdict was read at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Investigators found a twist embedded in the alleged motive: Terry had been lying to Sundwall and others around her, falsely claiming she suffered from terminal cancer. Investigators also determined that the $1.5 million life insurance policy Terry claimed to have, with Sundwall as the sole beneficiary, never existed. No policy was ever found.

Lone Peak Police Chief Brian Gwilliam issued a statement following the verdict: "The jury has returned a guilty verdict on charges of manslaughter and obstruction of justice. We appreciate the jury's thoughtful deliberation and commend the prosecutors for their diligent efforts in bringing this case forward."

Sundwall faces a sentence of one to fifteen years for the manslaughter conviction. Sentencing is scheduled for May 4.