[17], Castor's defense team presented a pharmaceutical expert in an attempt to cast doubt on the prosecution's claim that Castor had drugged Ashley 17 hours prior to being taken to the hospital. Like Bree, he said Castor kept telling him when he called that Ashley was very tired and was still taking a nap. ), When Ashley woke in the hospital, she denied writing the suicide note, according to The Age. Bree also offered other details about the August 2005 weekend leading up to the discovery of her stepfather's body in his bed at their Wetzel Road home. He described a "black widow" type as a woman who kills husbands or lovers for material gain, as opposed to the typical serial killer (men who kill consecutively for sexual or sadistic motives). In 2007, Stacey Castor attempted to poison her 19-year-old daughter, Ashley Wallace and frame her for murdering her stepfather, a crime Castor had committed, according to court reports. She wanted people to believe that her life had been crippled by tragedy -- that her first husband had died of a heart attack, her second husband had died by poisoning himself with antifreeze, and that her daughter had also attempted suicide. They didnt want their father replaced., David was difficult with the kids, said Castor. She was sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder and an additional 25 years for the attempted murder. [15] With a "jam-packed" courtroom, most were focused on Castor. They began to suspect she was involved in their murder. Tonight, ABC News 20/20 will investigate the Black Widow murderer, whose real name is Stacey Castor. [22], Fitzpatrick said that under New York sentencing guidelines, Castor would have to serve just over 51 years before she became eligible for paroleat her age, effectively a life sentence.[16]. "She was. Castor never saw her daughters again. Book in stores and online! In June 2016, she was found dead in her cell after suffering a heart attack. She remembered that the drink did not taste very good and that her mom got her a straw and told her to put the straw to the back of her throat and to just drink it, Norton said. [31] It was later determined by the D.A. The 2009 murder trial in Syracuse, New York, of Stacey Castor. Castor died in prison of natural causes in 2016. In addition to the Turner and Castor antifreeze murder cases, similar cases were reported in 2008. I hate my mother for ruining so many people's lives," Ashley Wallace told David Muir in 2009. Stacey Castor faced 25 years to life if convicted when her trial began in January 2009. Stacey, the daughter of Jerry Daniels and Judie Eaton, met Michael Wallace when she was 17, in 1985, and they bonded immediately. Detective Dominick Spinelli remained skeptical and began an investigation that would last two years. Bree Wallace found a 750-word typewritten letter that appeared to be written by Ashley, with her typed signature - confessing to the murders of her father and stepfather, and saying she was now taking her own life. In addition, she is suspected of having murdered her first husband, Michael Wallace, in 2000; his grave lay next to David Castor's until David's remains were disinterred in 2016 and buried elsewhere by his son. In September 2007, Stacey attempted to frame her daughter Ashley for killing both of her deceased husbands. Lifetimes latest ripped-from-the-headlines movie takes on the true crime case of Stacey Castor, a woman who was convicted of one murder, attempted another and may have gotten away with a third. [3], The detectives on the case ordered wiretappings on Castor's house. It's difficult to fathom everything Ashley Wallace of Clay, NY experienced by the time she was 19, but let's try. Stacey's antifreeze killings and homicide plots are retold in an episode of 20/20 titled 20/20: Fatal Flaw - On The Rocks. The Onondaga County jury found Castor guilty of murder for killing her husband, David, in 2005. On Saturday, February 1, at 8 p.m., the new Nia Vardalos flick hits TV screens. Ultimately, her daughters, Ashley and Bree Wallace, struggled to understand why their mother did what she did. [16], The trial had lasted for four weeks. Along with being suspected of killing her first husband, Castor was found guilty of. Stacey Castor met her second husband, David Castor, through her boss in 2001. How can you hate someone and love them at the same time? [17], Prosecutors brought up another piece of "damaging evidence" against Castor when they cited having heard "typing sounds" while Castor was on the phone. "I did not try to kill my daughter, period, and I will never say that I did, ever.". The DA pointed out Castor may have murdered her own father, Jerry Daniels, who died February 22, 2002, shortly after his daughter visited him in the hospital where he had a minor lung complaint. Still, even back in 2009, Wallace felt relief after clearing her chest in the courtroom. A former friend of Castors told ABC News that she was contemplating divorce when Wallace got sick in the winter of 1999. The defendant's fingerprints also were found on a couple of prescription bottles for medication found in Ashley's system when she was treated at University Hospital in 2007, the jury was told. She becomes, you know, lethargic and eventually passes out and winds up in her bedroom., Sept. 13, 2007: Wallace drinks with mom again. I did not kill Michael Wallace, I did not kill David Castor, and I did not try to kill my daughter, period," she told Muir in 2009. Deputy testifies in Castor trial [3] In addition, they set up cameras overlooking Castor's house and the gravesites of her husbands, who had been buried side by side at Castor's request. And in 2007, she was reportedly poisoned and came within 15 minutes of death, according to ABC News. Ashley is engaged to be married and is still close to her sister Bree. "[19] Both of Castor's daughters expressed concern that their mother had not yet apologized to them. Even though I do hate her, I still love her at the same time.. 11 True Crime Novels That Every Armchair Detective Will Love, These Women Committed Brutal Crimes and Are Now Just Walking Around Free, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). However, when his corpse was exhumed for a toxicology screening years later, investigators revealed that he was killed through antifreeze poisoning. Stacey did this by inviting Ashley over for a drink and doping her. Because if I don't, than Stacey won.". I think part of it was to bring justice to David, my dad, and myself.. Once Ashley returned home from picking Bree up from school, her father seemed unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. [19] Her lead defense counsel, Keller, announced that Castor would appeal the verdict, including challenging the inclusion of evidence regarding the death of her first husband, for which Castor had not been charged. Detectives also believed the contents of the note pointed to the real killer. [3] They argued that the "suicide attempt" had actually been a planned-out murder attempt by Castor against Ashley. Castor told Diane Leshinski, then-detective with the Onondaga Sheriffs Office, that she assumed he was sleeping it off. Since Castor died in 2016, Wallace now has to live without her apology, or answers. "I kinda went hysterical. They also had opposite shifts since she worked during the day as an ambulance dispatcher, and he worked during the evening as a mechanic. [28] Series Sex Lies and Murder, series 2 episode 3 as well as describing the events leading to the trial included an interview with the district attorney in the case. Tonight, ABC News' 20/20 will investigate the Black Widow murderer, whose real name is Stacey Castor. Would love your thoughts, please comment. ABC Ashley Wallace was attending her first day at college when two investigators arrived to deliver the news that her father had died of antifreeze poisoning. Her mother kept telling her Ashley was tired and taking a nap, Bree said. But she was the one who did this," Wallace said. She, however, had her eyes closed as the verdicts were read. She said, He (Michael) was laying on the couch, making what I thought were funny faces. Castor told authorities that her daughter had taken pills and left behind a suicide note confessing to both murders. She was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of David Castor, attempted murder of her daughter, and forging Castor's will. SYRACUSE, NY -- Stacey Castor's youngest daughter broke into tears today as she told a jury about finding her older sister staring glassy-eyed into space the morning she was rushed to the hospital for treatment of a near fatal drug and alcohol overdose. Sgt. On the morning of September 14, 2007, Bree found Ashley barely alive in her bedroom. Defense's opening statements But she tried to kill me instead. While Ashley was close to her mother, Bree was her fathers princess. Surveillance cameras were set up at the gravesite where Michael Wallace and David Castor were buried. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Stacey Castor was arrested on Sept. 14 and was charged with the murder of David Castor. In 2009, Castor was convicted of murdering her second husband, David Castor, attempting to murder her daughter, Ashley Wallace, and forging her husbands will. Stacey was sentenced to 51 years to life without the possibility of parole. So, to be arrested and handcuffed, I was terrified. Sept. 25, 2008: Judge rules death of Michael Wallace can be submitted as evidence. Stacey Castor murder trial: Daughter Ashley Wallace reads statement Watch on Standing next to her younger sister, Bree, Wallace opens up about feelings of confusion, anger, and bewilderment that had plagued her since learning of her mother's ultimate betrayal. Ashley had harsh words for her mother after her sentencing. [2][3] The couple married and had their first daughter, Ashley, in 1988. [32], Stacey Castor's story was adapted into the Lifetime film, Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story, as part of its "Ripped from the Headlines" feature-film series; this made-for-television film was first transmitted on February 1, 2020. Stacey took her daughters to Disney World after Mike Wallace died. [20] "She has created so much pain and death with this, creating multiples of pain and death, in the families of those she has hurt. Eventually, Stacey started dating again and in late 2001 met a recent divorcee named David Castor. "She's fine. As hard as you tried, I survived. [3][9] Given evidence of the evolution of David Castor's illness, they concluded that Castor had for four days fed her husband antifreeze through the baster before trying to make it look like a suicide. [3] They wanted to "poke holes" in Ashley's version of what happened and prove that she could have been capable of murder at age 11. [3] On the stand, Ashley retold how her mother had convinced her to drink the two nights before she almost died. ", "DA: Antifreeze murderer Stacey Castor, who poisoned husband, dead at 48", "No obvious cause of death for killer Stacey Castor; lab tests could take months", "DA: Anti-freeze murderer Stacey Castor died of heart attack, no foul play suspected", "More 'Ripped From The Headlines' Pics Set At Lifetime With Nia Vardalos, Lyndsy Fonseca, Kirstie Alley, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Jenn Lyon", Tragic End for 'Black Widow's' First Love - Official ABC 20/20 YouTube clip, Did 'Black Widow' Kill Two Husbands? She was sentenced to more than 51 years in prison. Though Stacey is the centerpiece of the movie, the end of Poisoned Love belongs entirely to Ashley. [2][3] Despite their closeness with their children, the couple grew apart, and it was rumored that each was having affairs. Hey there, welcome to my channel. In 2007, she was arrested for second degree murder in David's death and for attempting to murder Ashley and frame her for the murders of David and Wallace. Police set up cameras outside Stacey Castor's house to track her whereabouts. Stacey Castor, now 41, worked as an office manager at her husband's business, Liverpool Heating and Air Conditioning. [3][13], Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick and Chief Assistant District Attorney Christine Garvey[14] argued that David Castor's "suicide" had never made sense given the lack of his fingerprints on the glass or container tainted with ethylene glycol, a toxic substance found in antifreeze, and the turkey baster found in the kitchen garbage bearing both ethylene glycol and his DNA. "After my mom is sentenced today, I'll go back to my loving home with people who care about meI'm going to do good things in the world, despite your making me, in every sense of the word, an orphan," Wallace said. April 20, 2009, 9:22 AM. [3] For her stepfather, they noted his and Ashley's tumultuous relationship and how they did not get along with each other. One night, the former served the latter an alcoholic drink loaded with a lethal dose of painkillers. Castor, however, never visited. Born on July 24, 1967, New York -born Stacey Castor became notoriously dubbed as "The Black Widow" in the media for the murders she committed. [3][9], For two years, investigators had collected evidence against Castor for the deaths of her husbands. Castor really wanted the 911 call taker to know that there was a suicide note, former Onondaga Assistant District Attorney Christine Garvey said. Ashley Wallace said she drank another cocktail her mom had prepared for her. Below is a timeline highlighting some of key events in this disturbing story: April 7, 1990: Stacey Castor marries her first husband, Castor seemed to everyone who knew her to deeply love her first husband Michael Wallace. 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