Caretaker Arrested After Missing Avery County Woman’s Body Found Buried In Concrete

The Latest:

Police arrested 53-year-old Elizabeth Carserino (also known as Elizabeth Freeman) Saturday in Jackson County, west of Asheville.

She’s now being held in the Avery County Jail, charged in the murder of 70-year-old Lynn Keene.

Freeman is being held on more than a million dollars bond.

Update (8/7/21):

Elizabeth Freeman, who is wanted for questioning in this case, has been located in a Western North Carolina hospital and is being treated for any injury, according to the Avery County Sheriff’s Office.

Original Story (8/6/21):

AVERY CO., N.C. — 70-year-old Lynn Keene’s body was found buried in concrete in the basement of her home on Monday after her family reported her as missing last month, police say.

Lynn Gay Keene

The Avery County Sheriff’s Office filed a missing persons report for Keene on Friday, July 30th, after her family said she had gone missing from her home in Linville Falls and had not been seen since June 14th.

Detectives say they found the home secured when they originally went to check on Keene and noticed her 2000 Lincoln Town car was missing.

On Monday, August 2nd, officers with the Cherokee Police Department reported to the Avery County Sheriff’s Office that Keene’s car was located abandoned on Blue Wing Road in Cherokee.

Police say a search of the vehicle revealed it was locked and the keys to the car were found underneath the driver’s seat.

This discovery led detectives to execute a search warrant of Keene’s home.

During their search, detectives discovered human remains buried in concrete in the basement of the home.

Investigators say after an autopsy was performed, it was determined the human remains were that of Keene.

The autopsy also concluded that the cause of death was a homicide and Keene did not die of natural causes, detectives say.

After further investigation, police identified 53-year-old Elizabeth Freeman (may also go by Elizabeth Carserino) as a person of interest in this homicide.

Elizabeth Freeman – WANTED

Freeman was hired by Keene’s family to serve as a live-in caretaker. She is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, 200 pounds, and has shoulder length sandy blond hair.

Police say Freeman is wanted on charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, financial card theft, and identity theft.

Freeman has not yet been located for questioning, according to the Avery County Sheriff’s Office.