NAPLES, Fla. — A woman has been found guilty as charged of seven counts of exploiting elderly/disabled person and two counts of grand theft from a from a person 65 years or older.
On November 30, 2019, the victims' son contacted the Collier County Sheriff's Office in reference to grand theft of $20,000 in jewelry and a car.
Keller was considered a friend and neighbor of the couple.
The elderly woman was under crisis hospice care.
Her husband was living in a skilled nursing facility.
The State Attorney's Office says Keller was abusing her relationship with the two for financial gain - including transactions made by the defendant utilizing Power of Attorney of a joint bank account shared with the elderly woman.
The female victim died, and investigators say Keller took may items from the house and fled the area - instructing a friend of the victim to not tell the son that his mother had died.
Keller admitted to deputies that she had the jewelry in question, the couple's check books, debit cards, and credit cars.
She also admitted to having the 2019 Kia Sorrento - of which she transferred the car into her own name the day before the female victim died and without the elderly man's permission.
Keller told deputies that she would return the items after coming back from the Florida Keys, but the car was never returned.
A warrant would lead to her arrest in Monroe County.
She was extradited to Collier County.
A status conference is set for December 16, 2024, at which time a sentencing date will be scheduled.
