Court docs: Milwaukee woman charged with homicide, accused of beating mother to death with rock
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Criminal charges have been filed against a 29-year-old woman who investigators say used a rock to kill her own mother.
Lauren Spors has been charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide, domestic abuse.
According to court documents, 64-year-old Carrie Zettel called 911 on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 2:06 p.m. because Spors was "being violent." According to a criminal complaint, when police arrived at the home near 23rd and Ramsey 14 minutes later, they located the victim deceased in the backyard, covered with a blanket.
An autopsy revealed Zettel died from multiple blunt force injuries to her head.
Investigators interviewed a neighbor who called 911, who reported Zettel's daughter would be seen around the home infrequently. The neighbor recalled Zettel telling her, according to the complaint, that her daughter was schizophrenic.
The neighbor reportedly witnessed Spors sleeping in front of Zettel's home on Saturday, Oct. 11. The following day, Spors was seen pacing back and forth in front of Zettel's home. The neighbor called police as she saw Spors repeatedly strike Zettel with an object in the backyard. Police later found a large rock "stained with blood" near the blanket-covered body of Zettel.
Spors was located inside the home covered in blood. She was then taken into custody.
In court documents, CBS 58 found out Spors has a history of violent tendencies against Zettel and her husband, who had reportedly been struck and threatened by her.
Spors was due in court for an initial appearance Oct. 14 but did not go through. CBS58 will bring you the latest, as she's now expected to be back in court on Oct. 15.
Zettel's other next-door neighbor, Alexis Stalter, described Zettel as a "sweet woman" who loved to garden and care for the community. She said Zettel, on their first introduction, had offered fresh rhubarb from her garden and allowed Stalter's children to run around her backyard. "She just really cared about the community and making sure that my husband and children and I, we all felt welcomed into the community when we moved in," she said.
Stalter said that Zettel had mentioned her daughter had "outbursts in the past" and tried to keep her distance, "but some things are just inevitable. You can't stop her from showing up unannounced."
"It really saddens me deeply. I have felt a pit in my stomach straight since Sunday afternoon, especially knowing that it was someone close to her... it's just a tragedy that someone so sweet had to be taken from us in such a unimaginable way," she continued.
Fresh flowers and a candle have been laid out in front of Zettel's home. A vigil will be held on Thursday night.
