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The death of Dallas Kellis, an 82-year-old retiree from Moore County, North Carolina, in July 2016, remains a case of domestic violence. He was found shot dead at his home. His wife, Margaret "Frankie" Kellis, was convicted of manslaughter relating to his death.
The tragedy led to a story of deception, violence, and litigation drama. Margaret's actions before and after Dallas Kellis' death led to her arrest and eventual incarceration. Margaret claimed that she had found her husband motionless when she returned after picking breakfast.
However, forensic evidence and inconsistencies in her narration have pointed in a different direction. Authorities were able to charge Margaret with manslaughter due to the apparent foul play and her attempt to cover up the evidence. The case is to be featured on Snapped on Oxygen on December 15, 2024.
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The circumstances of Dallas Kellis' death
On July 20, 2016, Margaret Kellis called 911 to report that her husband, Dallas Kellis, was unresponsive. Emergency responders found him with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and head, as per The Pilot. Margaret said she had gone to a local McDonald's to buy breakfast and returned to find him in this condition. However, the investigators found inconsistencies in her story.
Blood splatter patterns and other forensic evidence at the crime scene showed that it had been altered. No signs of forced entry existed, and Margaret's timeline of events did not align with the physical evidence. This made the authorities classify the death as a homicide and dig deeper into the involvement of Margaret.
Margaret's arrest and efforts to escape justice
Margaret Kellis was arrested in October 2016, three months after Dallas Kellis died. Investigators took her into custody after collecting sufficient evidence to prove her statement wrong, which also showed that the scene was staged. All her actions after the murder added more complexity to the case.
Authorities claimed that Margaret had intimidated some witnesses and tried to threaten others connected to the investigation. In prison, she was alleged to have threatened another inmate, as per The Pilot. The prosecution based their arguments on these acts to indicate that Margaret was dangerous to the community and was trying to thwart the case against her.
Trial and conviction
The trial of Margaret Kellis showed that she had a previous criminal record with convictions of a felony. The inconsistency in her testimony, forensic evidence connecting her to the crime, and history of threatening behavior built a strong case against her.
During her court appearances, she was denied bail multiple times due to accusations of interfering with evidence and intimidating witnesses. In addition, she was denied bail after her bond was lowered because of extreme conditions and evidence against her.
Remembering Dallas Kellis
Dallas Kellis married Margaret after losing his first wife, Louise, in hopes of companionship during his later years.
The family and the community were shocked by his sudden and violent death. When there was no clear motive for the crime, this tragedy became even more horrific, and it left unanswered questions even as Margaret was convicted.
Snapped airs on Oxygen True Crime this Sunday, December 15, at 6:00 pm.
