NC Woman Honors Late Mother Amid Moore County Power Grid Attacks
On December 3, 2022, a tragic incident left approximately 40,000 customers in Moore County, North Carolina, without power. This outage resulted from a shooting attack on two electrical substations, which ultimately led to the death of 87-year-old Karin Zoanelli. The Pinehurst resident required electronic oxygen support due to heart disease. When the power was disrupted, Zoanelli’s oxygen machine failed, which contributed to her demise.
The Fatal Impact of the Power Outage
The medical examiner’s report classified Zoanelli’s death as a homicide, attributing the cause to the failure of her oxygen concentrator due to the power outage. Barbara Vitarelli, Zoanelli’s daughter, firmly believes that her mother was a victim of murder. “It was murder. But for that power outage, she might still be here,” she stated, expressing her anguish over the loss.
A Family’s Heartbreaking Loss
Bruno Zoanelli, Karin’s husband of 59 years, discovered her lifeless body and shared the news with Barbara in a heart-wrenching call. He relayed that she had struggled to breathe and collapsed. Vitarelli remarked, “He’s just going through the motions. He’s really not living,” highlighting the emotional toll on her father.
Remembering Karin Zoanelli
The Zoanelli couple retired to Pinehurst over a decade ago after years of living and working in the Washington, D.C., area. Despite Karin’s chronic health challenges, the family described them as an active and inseparable couple. “As my mom’s condition worsened, the roles kind of flipped. She always took care of everything,” said Vitarelli.
A Life Marked by Resilience
Karin was born in Germany and experienced the devastation of World War II firsthand, losing her father in an air raid. After the war, she pursued a career as a competitive figure skater and later worked as a journalist for United Press International. Her daughter believes that her mother truly began living after meeting Bruno, her husband, following their love-at-first-sight encounter in Italy.
Continuing the Fight for Justice
Nearly three years later, the mystery of who perpetrated the shooting at the substations remains unsolved. Vitarelli continues to seek accountability, stating, “You committed a crime. You should be held accountable for it.” Her determination reflects not only her grief but the need for justice in a case that has deeply affected her family and community.
- Date of Incident: December 3, 2022
- Location: Moore County, North Carolina
- Victim: Karin Zoanelli, 87
- Power Outage Impact: Approximately 40,000 customers
- Cause of Death: Failure of oxygen concentrator due to power outage
