image description — Authorities were at the scene until late Thursday investigating the death of Doris Cote.

North Adams Woman Arrested in Grandmother's Murder

01:14PM / Saturday, November 05, 2022Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— A 26-year-old city woman has been arrested in the murder of grandmother.

Police arrested Kelsie Cote on Friday evening in the death of 74-year-old Doris Cote of Church Street.

Authorities had initially described the incident as an "unattended death" but had declined to provide further information. Police had been at Cote's home Wednesday and Thursday, finally leaving late Thursday afternoon.

It had been rumored Cote's body had been found by a granddaughter.

Kelsie Cote is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Northern Berkshire District Court on charges of murder, assault with intent to murder, and destruction of evidence.

According to the District Attorney's Office, North Adams Police responded to a 911 call on Tuesday from a relative of Doris Cote reporting finding her deceased inside her Church Street home, where Cote had lived with her late husband for nearly 50 years. Her husband, Ray, died in February.

The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the District Attorney's Office and the North Adams Police established probable cause that Kelsie Cote murdered her grandmother on the evening of Oct. 31 and attempted to destroy evidence of the crime.

"I send my heartfelt condolences to Doris Cote's family and friends for their tragic loss, and I thank the North Adams Police and the Massachusetts State Police for their work on this investigation," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said.

Additionally, the State Police Crime Scene Services, State Police chemists, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner responded to the scene.

Tags: murder,

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North Adams Council OKs New Sustainability Committee

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:13AM / Thursday, September 10, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday night moved the establishment of a Sustainability & Tree Commission to a second reading and publication.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey back in February had presented the council with a list of objectives and how she thought a such a committee could support the administration. Councilor Andrew Fitch had raised the issue the year before, referred it to the mayor's office and pushed through the ordinance.

As the process moved forward, he recommended it merge with the Tree Commission, taking on that committee's objectives as part of the city's sustainability mission. It will make recommendations such as regarding climate change and impact on neighborhoods, and be able to seek grants, partnerships and other resources.

The language provided to the council on Tuesday had been reviewed by several committees and commissions and included changes advised by the city solicitor.

"It's been through a whole bunch of different reviews, and it took different tweaks from each of these committees," said Fitch, acting as president that night. "Each of these committees and commission provided excellent guidance of how to make this a little bit stronger, how to make this a little bit better."

Jenny Dunning, a member of the grassroots North Adams Sustainability Task Force, spoke at the beginning of the meeting to endorse the ordinance.

"I just want to say how much I appreciate that the council and the administration has moved forward to figure out a way to make this happen, and it's up for the vote tonight," said Dunning, who serves on the Windsor Lake Commission. "And we've got five of us who are here to support this change."

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