Mother asks for death after confessing to killing her son

Michelle Kehoe told investigators to kill her or lock her up forever so she couldn't hurt anyone else.

After telling police an elaborate story full of details that didn't always make sense of a man who kidnapped her and her sons, Kehoe finally confessed to killing son Seth, 2, and injuring her other son Sean, 7, on Oct. 26, 2008 near Littleton.

“It's sickening, isn't it?” she asks investigator.

As Chris Callaway, a special agent with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, testified Friday Kehoe started crying. It was her first sign of emotion in the murder trial that started Wednesday in Grundy County District Court.

Testimony won't resume until 9 a.m. Tuesday because the prosecution had a scheduling problem with a witness. Testimony is expected to wrap up early Thursday.

Kehoe, 35, of Coralville, charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, is accused of slashing both boy's necks with a hunting knife. Sean told police his mother duct taped his eyes, nose and mouth and cut him and then went after his brother, who he found dead outside the van they traveled in to the remote pond in Buchanan County.

Callaway said Kehoe didn't tell this story and the confession verbally, she wrote down the information because she had a breathing tube down her throat waiting to go into surgery at the time of the interview. Kehoe also had cut her own neck during the incident.

Kehoe initially told Callaway a man got into their van when she and the boys stopped in Jesup to play at a park on their way to Sumner.

She even gave a somewhat detailed description of the man and what he was wearing. He made her drive to the remote location and she tried fight him off but he hit her in the head and she passed out, one of many times. Then, at some point he duct tapes her hands and feet and by the time she got free, the boys were gone.

Kehoe found Seth dead and Sean injured. The man then came for her and cut her neck.

Callaway said he didn't believe her story and slowly confronted her and she finally broke and told the truth.

Kehoe said she wasn't a good mom. She admits to duct taping Sean as he said and then cut him first because he was the oldest. She then killed Seth and then cut herself.

Kehoe also admitted to buying the duct tape and hunting knife about a month before.

Michelle Kehoe confessed killing her son Seth, 2, and injuring her other son Sean, 7, to an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation special agent, telling him what she's done is unforgiveable.

Chris Callaway said today Kehoe initially tells him a story about a man who supposedly kidnapped her and the boys on Oct. 26 and gives a lot of details but her story doesn't match up with Sean's story. After Callaway confronts her about his suspicions she confesses  and asks to be killed and locked away forever.

During this testimony Kehoe finally breaks down crying. This is first time she has shown emotion during her murder trial that started Wednesday in Grundy District Court.

Kehoe tells Callaway she taped Sean's eyes, nose and mouth before cutting him. She cut him first because he's the oldest. She then cut Seth and then herself.

Other testimony included an Iowa City sporting goods manager testifying about a credit card receipt signed by Kehoe for the purchase of a hunting knife.