Keith Arnold Landa (Clay County Jail)
MOORHEAD (KFGO) – A Moorhead man is charged in Clay County, accused of neglecting and financially exploiting a 94-year-old woman.
In December of 2024, Clay County Social Services began investigating a report of financial exploitation of an elderly woman. During the investigation it was learned that Keith Landa was making several online transactions using the victim’s bank account and credit cards.
From September-December 2024 the fraudulent charges totaled $13,927.30 to various places like Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, PayPal and online gift sites.
On October 28, 2025, Moorhead Police officers were dispatched to the woman’s home regarding a disturbance. Landa called police saying the woman was swinging her crutches and breaking things.
When officers arrived, they noted the home was extremely cluttered and infested with bugs. The woman said she had not been fed. Landa told officers that groceries had been dropped off, but no one was there to help feed the woman.
“Officers noted throughout the home there were boxes and belongings piled all over every room with a narrow walkway cleared. There was a strong odor of rotting food in the kitchen from the counters and garbage. There was no access to the sink due to clutter. The table and counter was covered in dishes and food with bugs crawling all over. Mice feces were found on the floor. In the bathroom it was cluttered with garbage. The bathroom rugs were stuck to the floor. The sink had a pail with water and bugs in it,” officers wrote in court records.
Officers say the bedrooms and living room were in similar condition with boxes and clutter making access nearly impossible.
“The entire house was invested with small flying bugs in every room,” court documents state.
Officers photographed the home and sent a report to social services.
Investigators say the woman refuses to go to a care center, but is reliant on Landa to feed and care for her. A family member of the victim told investigators that Landa refuses to feed the victim anything other than the one meal a day that is provided by Meals on Wheels, he keeps her in her bedroom for long periods of time because he doesn’t want her in the living room making noise, and she didn’t believe the victim had been bathed since her last hospitalization, which was years ago.
Investigators noted a bag of food by the victim’s chair that had bugs crawling all over it. The victim said she did not want to leave her home but, given her condition, an ambulance was called to evaluate her. Landa was taken into custody on a warrant and the woman was transported to the hospital.
Investigators say Landa was the self-designated caregiver for the woman, and their analysis was that the home was not in a livable condition.
“The defendant [Landa] has not bathed, washed or done laundry for the victim. The shower and bathroom was not useable. There was not necessary food, clean clothes, personal cares or supervision of the victim being performed by the defendant. The only path cleared in the house for the victim to access is her chair in the living room to her bed and to the bathroom,” investigators said.
The woman was transported to Sanford hospital for evaluation and indicated she would agree to be discharged to a care facility. However, Sanford did an evaluation and said the victim did not have the capacity to make that decision and deferred the decision to Landa. He told investigators the victim would return to their home in Moorhead upon discharge on Nov. 21, 2025.
Landa is charged with one count of criminal neglect. At a court hearing on Nov. 25, bond was set at $6,000 with no conditions. If he agrees to the judge’s conditions to remain law-abiding, he would be released without having to post bail.
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