DA Says Kelsie Cote Killed Grandmother, Attempted to Conceal Evidence

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The district attorney says Kelsie Cote assaulted and killed her grandmother with scissors and a paper weight on Halloween night and attempted to conceal the evidence. 

On Thursday, Cote was arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court for first degree murder of Doris A. Cote on or between Oct. 31 and Nov.1, 2022. Her counsel waived the reading of the remaining counts on the indictment and a pre-trial hearing has been set for Nov.14. 

Cote, 26, of 22 Rich St. in North Adams, was charged with murder, assault to murder and evidence tampering in the death of her 74-year-old grandmother. 

Cote, who had a not-guilty plea entered on her behalf, entered the court room in a wheel chair for the arraignment. 

It is alleged that on or about Oct. 26 and on Nov. 1, Cote altered, destroyed, mutilated, or concealed a record, document, or other object or attempted to with the intent of impairing the record, document, or object's integrity for use in an official proceeding. 

On or between Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 is alleged that Cote assaulted and beat her grandmother with a paperweight and scissors, assaulted her scissors with the intent to murder, and by such assault did kill her in her home at 300 Church St.  

The Chief Medical Examiner in Westfield found that Doris Cote "suffered from bruising at the base of her neck, the center of her forehead, the bridge of her nose or left cheek and her left ear. There were seven total wounds that were primarily about her head."

During police interviews prior to her arrest, Kelsie Cote said she panicked upon finding her grandmother's body and did not call for help right away. Police also reported that Cote admitted to cleaning up the scene.

The affidavit includes include a photocopy of Doris Cote's will that names Kelsie Cote as an heir to more than $1,000,000.

North Adams Planners OK MCLA Arts Center, Italian Restaurant

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:14AM / Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Nick Moulton, left, and Peter Belmonte were introduced as the chefs for the new Zio Roberto. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' new arts center was given the go-ahead by the Planning Board on Monday, along with a new Italian restaurant on Marshall Street. 

 

The 7,500-square-foot Campagna Kleefeld Center for Creativity in the Arts will be located at the corner of Porter and Church Street. 

 

The center, funded by California artist and writer Carolyn Kleefeld and the MCLA Foundation, will be a stepping stone for the college to build a graduate program in arts management, said Robert Ziomek, vice president for institutional advancement.

 

"The center will be a vital focus for faculty to engage in the arts, offering a dynamic and flexible space that will serve as a catalyst for curricular innovation and will provide a compelling teaching and learning environment," he told the planners.

 

"It's going to allow for an expanded visiting artist program that we're trying to do, and plus our graduate program will be able to grow as we will apply for, once this building is online, for a graduate program in arts management."

 

He said Kleefeld is "really excited about having students engaged with artists of all of all types, but also giving faculty the ability to be creative with the curriculum around arts."

 

Designer George Dole of Jones Whitsett Architects and landscape architect Rachel Loeffler, principal at Berkshire Design Group presented the plans.