FENTON, Mo. — A 78-year-old woman was charged Tuesday, just hours after police said she stabbed and killed her 51-year-old daughter in an attempted murder-suicide.
Marjorie Theleman, 78, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the incident.
Charging documents said Theleman removed her daughter from a nursing home and rented a hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express on Bowles Avenue. Inside the hotel room, she stabbed her daughter with a knife then tried to suffocate herself.
Police were called to the hotel around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon after hotel staff said the women did not check out of the room at the proper time.
When police arrived, they found the victim with stab wounds. and the 78-year-old woman with a self-inflicted injury. She was rushed to the hospital and is expected to survive.
Police also found a typed letter explaining her actions and a hand-written note to housekeepers to call the police.
Police are investigating this as a murder and attempted suicide.
Theleman will be held on a $250,000 bond.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210 to speak to investigators regarding the incident.
