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.

Northern Berkshire United Way: 1970s Has Its Ups and Downs

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
06:17PM / Wednesday, June 03, 2026

The Northern Berkshire United Way sets its highest goal yet in 1979, and the first time going over $200,000. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Over three decades, the Northern Berkshire United Community Services had raised some $3 million for its affiliated agencies. 

 

That number was announced that the organizations "fifth" annual meeting in 1974, marking the time since Adams had joined, and counting the funds raised by the North Adams Community Chest and the North Adams and Adams United Funds and Northern Berkshire United Fund. 

 

The report that year was dedicated to past 24 volunteer campaign chairs, of whom 17 were still in the area and three — Russell Lanoue, George Higgins and G. Churchill Francis — had since died.

 

The amount of money raised seemed significant for the time, but the united fund found itself struggling in the early '70s as the economy dipped and its the need for its services grew. 

 

The campaign in 1970 saw an ambitious goal of $184,952 to support 16 agencies, with Northern Berkshire Child Care as the latest addition. The drive kicked off that goal at the Midway with Chair George Bateman, but it reached only 80 percent of its goal by the end. 

 

Batemen said it might not be a financial success but "I believe it was a spiritual success" because of the hard work and enthusiasm of so many drive volunteers.

 

But President Henry Pierpan said there would be allocation cuts for 1971 despite "a substantial sum" voted from reserve funds.