MILWAUKEE, WI – Authorities in Milwaukee have arrested a woman accused of killing her mother with a four-pound rock during a violent altercation at their home. Lauren Spors, 29, is currently held in the Milwaukee County Jail and faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide and domestic abuse following the death of her mother, Carrie Zettel.
On the afternoon of October 12, when Zettel, 64, called emergency services shortly after 2 p.m. to report that her daughter was acting violently. Responding officers arrived at the West Ramsey Avenue residence less than 20 minutes later to find a gruesome scene. Zettel was discovered in the backyard, suffering from severe head injuries, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators noted a large, bloodied rock in the grass near Zettel’s body, which police say appears to have been used in the attack. Police reported that Spors was drenched in blood when taken into custody, further supporting her arrest in connection with the attack.
An eyewitness account confirmed the brutality of the event. According to the criminal complaint, a neighbor called 911 after witnessing Spors standing over her mother, striking her repeatedly with a heavy object.
Family friends described a long and troubled history between mother and daughter. Loretta Moyer, a close acquaintance of Zettel, recalled that the victim lived in fear for years, suspecting her daughter was responsible for her husband’s death in 2018. At that time, Zettel told police she believed Spors had struck Jeffrey Spors, Lauren’s father, over the head with glass bottles. However, no charges were filed after authorities determined the death was related to prescription medication misuse.
Following her father’s death, Spors faced a domestic violence restraining order barring her from contacting her mother. Records show she violated the order twice in subsequent years, but both times she was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. In court documents, Spors acknowledged her struggles with mental illness and expressed confusion over the events surrounding her father’s death.
Over the years, Spors’ legal troubles and apparent mental health crises led to frequent intervention by authorities. Zettel allegedly shared her fears about her daughter with friends, telling Moyer shortly before her death she felt helpless in the face of her daughter’s instability.
On the morning of the fatal attack, Zettel reportedly left a voicemail for Moyer, stating that Spors had been at her home, banging on windows and doors before police were called. Officers attempted to locate Spors that morning, but she evaded capture at the time.
Spors remains jailed on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month. Meanwhile, friends and family are left grieving and searching for answers amid a history marked by domestic strife and mental health challenges.