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' Walnut Street Work to Start Next Spring

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
05:43AM / Wednesday, November 04, 2026

The city is in the process of taking 12 Oak Ave., with the hope of the contractor can use the property for staging equipment. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Work on the Walnut Street retaining wall is expected to begin next spring.

 

However, preparations for the project are starting now with the removal of trees, placement of utility poles and installation of drainage down Oak Street this fall — dependent on weather.

 

"We talked a lot about what we thought the schedule was going to be, and the contractor preferred to work on the stormwater management piece, and then move the utilities so we're not worrying about you in the winter," Mayor Jennifer Macksey told Walnut residents during a project update on Monday.

 

"The contractors will still be working up there, weather dependent. But originally, when we spoke, we talked about moving the utilities first. But we thought that it was a better plan to wait until the spring, so you won't have any disruption to your driveways."

 

She said there were concerns about depending on temporary utilities during the winter.  

 

"I think this is the best course of action to do it and do it right. It's safety, we have to think of safety not only of all of you, but safety of our contractors," she said. 

 

The city received a $2 million MassWorks grant, together with $200,000 left from flood recovery money, to rebuild the massive block wall holding Walnut Street 50-feet above a long abandoned quarry.