Maine woman indicted in killing of her 88‑year‑old mother‑in‑law in Exeter, NH

BRENTWOOD — A Maine woman was indicted this month on charges that she killed her 88‑year‑old mother‑in‑law in her Exeter apartment in 2025.

Danielle Kelsen, 55, was indicted by a Rockingham County grand jury in June on one count of second‑degree murder for “recklessly” causing the death of Janet Kelsen “by inflicting blunt force injuries.” She was also indicted on a misdemeanor charge of wiretapping and eavesdropping for allegedly recording conversations between the two without consent.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt; it means the grand jury found enough evidence to move the case forward to trial.

Janet Kelsen was found dead in her apartment at 133 Front St. in Exeter on the night of Feb. 9, 2025. An autopsy later revealed the cause of death — and confirmed it was a homicide.

Kelsen was arrested in November of 2025 in Southwest Harbor, Maine, as a fugitive from justice and held without bail in the Hancock County Jail. She initially fought extradition, which forced prosecutors to seek a governor’s warrant to bring her back to New Hampshire. 

Benjamin Agati, a senior NH assistant attorney general, previously said the investigation involved a lengthy examination of the physical evidence, interviewing witnesses and verifying statements. An arrest warrant for Danielle Kelsen was obtained only after authorities had sufficient evidence, he said.

The court has sealed the arrest warrant that outlines the evidence in Kelsen’s case.

On March 3, Kelsen made her first in‑state court appearance in Brentwood District Court and was ordered held without bail.

If convicted of second‑degree murder, she faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment without parole or “for such term as the court may order,” according to New Hampshire law.

Kelsen is scheduled to be arraigned in Rockingham Superior Court on June 29 at 10 a.m.