"It had DNA evidence. [33], 2007 mugshot, Onondaga County Sheriffs Dept, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:46, Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, "Exhumed Body Reveals Stacey Castor's First Husband 'Didn't Just Die': Exclusive Look Inside Anti-Freeze Murder Mystery; What Brought Two Men to Rest in Neighboring Graves. "Your honor, [Castor] is a monster and a threat to society," he said. Although Castor told him she looked and couldn't find the object, Gandino said he was outside the house and never saw any lights go on in Ashley's bedroom. It's difficult to fathom everything Ashley Wallace of Clay, NY experienced by the time she was 19, but let's try. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Upon waking up, Wallace denied writing the confession letter. Among the items near his body were a container of antifreeze and a half-full glass of bright green liquid. Ashley and Bree testified at Stacey's trial, where Stacey was convicted of murder and attempted murder. A letter she had written before her death incriminated him as the murderer if she were to die eventually; the letter led to his prosecution. Stacey Castor, 41, is shown here on the day of her wedding to David Castor in August 2003. [3][4] When brought on the stand, she testified that she did not murder either her father or her stepfather nor did she write the suicide note. Ready forPoisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story? Police found a glass of green liquid on the bedside table next to where David Castor was found dead. The movie's speech is pulled verbatim from the statement the real Wallace read, through tears, in the courtroom in 2009. After detectives visited Ashley at college to tell her they suspected her father was also poisoned, she came home to visit and share a drink with her mom. She'll never be able to see Bree graduate. The next day, the episode will be available to stream on Hulu. "[6], The coroner reported that David Castor had committed suicide through a self-administered lethal dose of antifreeze, but when police found Stacey Castor's fingerprints on the antifreeze glass and located a turkey baster that had David Castor's DNA on the tip, they began to suspect Stacey Castor had engineered her husband's death. Tonight, ABC will speak with Ashley, as well as some investigators from the case. "As horrible as this makes me feel, mom, this is goodbye." Ashley Wallace. Police knocked down the bedroom door to find David Castor dead of an apparent suicide. I know that I didn't do anything wrong," Wallace tells OprahMag.com. Detective Dominick Spinelli remained skeptical and began an investigation that would last two years. The code of murderers such as these, he said, is "deny, deny, deny" until the bitter end. All Rights Reserved. The following day, Stacey made her another drink. While two cases were being presented to the jury - her second husband David Castors death and the attempted murder of her daughter Ashley Wallace, attorneys were also allowed to present evidence from Michael Wallace's death. Unable to get a response, Sergeant Robert Willoughby of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department kicked in the door of the bedroom and found David Castor lying dead. Sept. 25, 2008: Judge rules death of Michael Wallace can be submitted as evidence. We may earn commission from the links on this page. [24] He stated that while most suicide notes focus on themes of remorse and the person not being able to go on with life, the note supposedly written by Ashley was focused on taking the blame off of Castor. "Stacey was very intelligent," her mother, Judie Eaton, said. The witness also told the jurors how she had not seen her sister during the afternoon and evening of the previous day. Where Are Ashley and Bree Wallace Today? [15], On March 5, 2009, at Castor's sentencing, Chief Assistant District Attorney Christine Garvey asked Fahey to impose the maximum consecutive sentences because of the brutality of David's death. Since then, Wallace tells OprahMag.com she has "moved on with [her] life," but still struggles with the aftereffects of trauma. That's the closest I've ever come to a brush with the law. "[20], Judge Fahey told Castor that he had never seen a parent attempt to murder their child in order to set their child up for a crime they themselves committed and declared Castor "in a class all by [her]self". She claimed that [Michael Wallace] had all sorts of medical issues, we went and got his medical records, Norton said. Ashley and Bree testified at Staceys trial, where Stacey was convicted of murder and attempted murder. Spinelli stays on the case. That bothers me, it is so confusing. [3][5], In 2003, Stacey married David Castor, whose surname she used from that point forward. Michael Norton of the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office remembered the medical examiner telling him Wallace was loaded with crystals.. But doctors told Stacey they thought it was a heart attack, Benson said. By ASTRID RODRIGUES. Ashley tells 20/20, [She said], Weve had a rough week. When the authorities questioned Ashley about the forged suicide note and the deaths of her father and stepfather, she maintained her innocence. The story made national news, and Castor was subsequently named "The Black Widow" by media outlets. They credited the help of Wallace's boyfriend and his family, with whom they were living, for their ability to recover from this traumatic experience. Stacey was responsible for poisoning David. The victim's DNA was found on the rim of that glass and on the tip of a turkey baster containing remnants of antifreeze that was found in the kitchen trash, jurors were told. (Ashley was just 12 at the time of her fathers death. Detective testifies about Castor's mispronunciation During the trial, Castor had been dubbed "The Black Widow" by media outlets,[2] a title previously given to Lynn Turner. Stacey is at the center of a web of lies linked to the deaths of David and a previous husband, as well as the overdose of her daughter, Ashley Wallace, 21. [20] "Human life is sacred. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "[9], If there is a ceiling in terms of evil, she (Castor) is at the ceiling. 20/20: Fatal Flaw - On The Rocks chronicles David Castor's death and the chain of events that resulted in Stacey's incarceration. [3] For her stepfather, they noted his and Ashley's tumultuous relationship and how they did not get along with each other. She was also given up to four more years for forging Davids will in order to exclude his son from his first marriage. I do not believe Stacey did it. Wallace woke up in the hospital, shocked at the clamor around her. 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. Those who knew him, including his ex-wife Janice Poissant Farmer, rejected the idea Castor killed himself. [3] They noted Ashley's father, Wallace, showing favoritism toward his younger daughter rather than Ashley and cited jealousy as a possible motive for Ashley having murdered at such a young age. In 2003, three years after Wallaces death, Stacey married David Castor. Within months, he was found dead. "What gave her the right to play God with people? It would seem like a perfectly obvious thing to autopsy a grown man who's healthy, who lays down on his couch and dies, Michael Benson, who authored Mommy Deadliest about Castors case. Update 2:50 p.m.: For . Expert says David Castor's DNA was on turkey baster, which prosecution says was used to kill him Stacey and David married in 2003, they met while working together at the latter's air conditioning installation and repair company. I had a speeding ticket when I was 18 years old, Castor remembered. [24] He said that this theme was repeated fourteen times within the note and that he believes Castor will never admit to guilt of the murders. ABC reports her as saying, Im like, What are they talking about? I didnt do any of these things that youre saying that I did.'. [3] Castor's mother believed her granddaughter Ashley to be guilty. It had forensic linguistic analysis, which is you know, who wrote the note? Ashley Wallace also testifies for the prosecution that she did not write or know anything about a suicide note", "Woman Convicted of Poisoning Husband, Harming Daughter", "Woman gets 50 years in antifreeze murder of husband; Stacy Castor of upstate tried to blame daughter", "NY MOTHER SAYS DAUGHTER KILLED FATHER, STEPFATHER", "The trial of Stacey Castor recessed Thursday afternoon as Castor testified in her own defense", "It's a story that not only riveted many of us here in central New York, but has also captured the attention of the nation", "Stacey Castor gets 51 1/3 years to life in prison (videos, gallery)", "Woman sentenced in 2nd husband's poisoning N.Y. mother killed him with antifreeze, tried to frame her daughter", "Stacey Castor found guilty of murdering husband", "Black Widow's' antifreeze murder trial to start", "Your Questions Answered About Black Widow Case. On August 22, 2005, David was found dead in his bedroom after Stacey called the police when he didn't show up at their place of work. Who is Stacey Castor? Tonight, ABC News 20/20 will investigate the Black Widow murderer, whose real name is Stacey Castor. I knew at that point we had a double homicide and Stacey Castor probably killed both her husbands, Spinelli said. She was the executor of his estate. [3] Tests revealed that potentially fatal painkillers had been found in Ashley's system, and that she most likely would have died if taking her to the hospital had been just a few minutes later. I think part of it was to bring justice to David, my dad, and myself.. 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. Stacey's antifreeze killings and homicide plots are retold in an episode of 20/20 titled 20/20: Fatal Flaw - On The Rocks. Like Bree, he said Castor kept telling him when he called that Ashley was very tired and was still taking a nap. By then, the couple had been together for two years. [8] A toxicology screening ruled that Wallace had also been killed through antifreeze poisoning. Although his death was initially ruled a suicide, a police investigation revealed that he succumbed to antifreeze poisoning - similar to how Michael did. She would not frame Ashley.. Spinellis line of questioning led to a noticeably-suspicious response from Stacey Castor. On April 24, 2009, ABC aired a two-hour 20/20 special about Castor and the trial, which included interviews. Bree Wallace testifies about finding her poisoned sister, Ashley, in 2007 For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. The 2009 murder trial in Syracuse, New York, of Stacey Castor. [15], Having searched Castor's computer, prosecutors had found several drafts of the suicide note Ashley was accused of writing. Stacey's younger daughter Bree found Ashley the next morning and took her to the hospital. 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. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. This is how she said goodbye. [20] "She is cold, calculating and without any emotion for what she has done," she stated. Dubbed the "Black Widow," Castor was convicted of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and forging her husband's will in 2009. She said, He (Michael) was laying on the couch, making what I thought were funny faces. She said, I hope somebody hurts her in the way that she hurt meI hope she never gets to have her freedom ever again. Ashley Wallace, daughter of Stacey Castor and Michael Wallace, spoke with ABC News in 2009 after her mother's conviction. [19] She indicated that her mother, stepfather and some other relatives still support her. Michael Wallaces body is exhumed on Sept. 5, 2007 so investigators could examine it for signs of anti-freeze poisoning. Defense's opening statements Page 2", "Exhumed Body Reveals Stacey Castor's First Husband 'Didn't Just Die': Exclusive Look Inside Anti-Freeze Murder Mystery; What Brought Two Men to Rest in Neighboring Graves. In Touch Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. [2] In 1991, they had a second daughter, Bree. The couple was married in 1990 and had two daughters together, Ashley and Bree. Castor, however, never visited. Bree is seemingly based out of Weedsport, New York, and is concentrating on raising her children. Sept. 7, 2007: Castor is brought in for questioning. April 20, 2009, 9:22 AM. During her mother's trial, Ashley reads an emotional statement to the judge. Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor story, a Lifetime movie premiering Saturday, February 1 at 8 p.m., reenacts the harrowing story, with some fictional flourishes. [29], Castor was found dead in her cell on the morning of June 11, 2016. "And I will never say that I did, ever. Castor insinuated that Wallace was responsible for Michael and David's deaths. As police investigated the crimes, they also suspected that she murdered her first husband, Michael Wallace. "[18], On February 5, 2009, Castor was found guilty of second degree murder in the poisoning death of David and of attempted second degree murder for overdosing her daughter Ashley with drugs and vodka. In 2009, Stacey was sentenced to 51 years to life in prison. A former friend of Castors told ABC News that she was contemplating divorce when Wallace got sick in the winter of 1999. That was fun. Ashley then talked about that fateful day in January 2000. Michael's corpse was uncovered and examined in relation to investigators considering Stacey a suspect in his homicide, as well as the homicide of her second husband David. Gandino also testified Ashley had never talked about trying to commit suicide before. Ashley Wallace, daughter of Stacey Castor and Michael Wallace, spoke with ABC News in 2009 after her mother's conviction. Until her death of a heart attack in 2016 in prison, Castor continued to attest her innocence. Today, we are discussing Stacey Castor. Castor, who died in 2016 at the age of 48, was an American woman found guilty of murdering her husband David Castor and attempting to murder her daughter, Ashley Wallace. Hey there, welcome to my channel. And I will survive because now I'm survived by people who love me," Wallace said, while her mother looked on. "As hard as it is to get up everyday and put a smile on my face, I know that I have to. 's office that Castor died of a heart attack, with no evidence of suicide or foul play. Castor's first husband's family believes Castor may have killed her father having brought an open can of soda in for her father to drink in the hospital. 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. [2] [3] 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). [3] In addition, they noted money as one of the main reasons Castor murdered her husbands. Stacey Castor met her second husband, David Castor, through her boss in 2001. Castor told authorities that her daughter had taken pills and left behind a suicide note confessing to both murders. [3] They wanted to observe her behavior while there. In this image made from video Stacey Castor appears in court after hearing she was found guilty in Syracuse, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2009. Wallace was shaken and called her mother. "She always wanted to be a paralegal or a lawyer." "The biggest question I ask is why. Page 3", "Stacey Castor 'Black Widow' Accused in Anti-Freeze Murder", "Exhumed Body Reveals Stacey Castor's First Husband 'Didn't Just Die': Exclusive Look Inside Anti-Freeze Murder Mystery; What Brought Two Men to Rest in Neighboring Graves. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [2][3] Despite their closeness with their children, the couple grew apart, and it was rumored that each was having affairs. Her mother was. 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. [18] "Professor Francis Gengo testified that after analyzing the traces of drugs and alcohol found in blood drawn from Ashley at the hospital, Ashley would have had to ingest the alcohol, Ritalin, and several other drugs just several hours before she was hospitalized. Here's what you need to know. [3] Seventeen hours later, Ashley was found comatose on her bed by her younger sister Bree Wallace. After serving 7 years of her 51-year prison sentence, Castor died in 2016but for her daughter, the story goes on. April 22, 2009 -- Stacey Castor wanted people to believe that she was simply an unlucky wife after her first husband died of an apparent heart attack in 2000 and her second of an apparent suicide in 2005 by poisoning himself with anti-freeze.