Catherine Wood was born on March 7, 1962, in Soap Lake, Washington. Details about her early life remain sparse, but she eventually moved to Michigan, where she worked as a nurse's aide at Alpine Manor nursing home in Walker. There, she met Gwendolyn Graham, and the two developed a romantic relationship that would later culminate in a series of heinous crimes. ​

Between January and February 1987, Wood and Graham conspired to murder elderly female patients at Alpine Manor. Their initial plan was to select victims whose initials would spell out the word "MURDER," but this idea was soon abandoned. According to Wood's testimony, Graham would smother the victims with washcloths while Wood acted as a lookout. The victims, aged between 60 and 98, were often incapacitated and suffered from Alzheimer's disease. ​

The murders went undetected until October 1988, when Wood confessed to her ex-husband, who then alerted authorities. Wood was arrested in October 1988 and stood trial in 1989. She accepted a plea bargain, testifying against Graham in exchange for a reduced sentence. Wood was convicted of one count of second-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 20–40 years. ​

After serving nearly 30 years, Wood was released on parole in January 2020 and is currently residing in South Carolina.