Grand Jury Indicts Elderly Husband & Wife In Western Riverside County

A Riverside County criminal grand jury has indicted the owners of the Morris Small Family Home, an elderly care home in an unincorporated area of western Riverside County.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin has unsealed the 15-count indictment against 82 year old Michelle Louise Morris-Kerin, and the 9-count indictment against her 81 year old husband Edward Lawrence “Larry” Kerin.   Both have pleaded not guilty.

Charges against Michelle Louise Morris-Kerin include murder, involuntary manslaughter, manslaughter, child endangerment, dependent adult endangerment likely to cause great bodily injury or death, and lewd acts on dependent adults.  

Charges against Edward Lawrence “Larry” Kerin are  involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, dependent adult endangerment, and lewd acts on dependent adults.

There were multiple victims.

A joint investigation started after the April 6th 2019 death of Diane “Princess” Ramirez. Ramirez who was 17, was living at the facility under the care of Morris-Kerin and Kerin at the time of her death.

Previously, a Riverside County criminal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment against the defendants.

On April 28th 2022, the court granted a motion by the defense to dismiss the murder charge against Morris-Kerin. 

Further investigation produced new evidence which  prompted prosecutors to convene a new criminal grand jury  and led to the new indictment on  Nov. 20th 2023.

Both defendants are free but have until December 15th 2023 to meet very low bail amounts of 50-thousand dollars for Mrs Morris-Kerin, and 35-thousand dollars for Mr Kerin.

The defendants will return to court  for a trial readiness conference on Jan. 26th 2024 in Murrieta.

Crime Scene–Do Not Enter, police tape around crime scene.

Photo from Alpha Media Portland OR