's office that Castor died of a heart attack, with no evidence of suicide or foul play. While Ashley continued on her journey of healing, she talked about struggling with how the trauma affected her. [23] Ashley said that she does not know how her mother, any mother, could try to kill her own child,[3] a question that the public has also pondered. Jan. 11, 2000: Castors first husband dies. [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. On Saturday, February 1, at 8 p.m., the new Nia Vardalos flick hits TV screens. [20] "Human life is sacred. [2][3], Castor was employed by an ambulance dispatch company, while Wallace worked nights as a mechanic, but the family had little money. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Even with credit for time served, her earliest possible release date was June 15, 2055slightly over a month shy of her 88th birthday. "She always wanted to be a paralegal or a lawyer." [3] In addition, they noted money as one of the main reasons Castor murdered her husbands. According to ABC News, Castor never saw her daughters again. Castor told authorities that her daughter had taken pills and left behind a suicide note confessing to both murders. She said, Im like, What are they talking about? I didnt do any of these things that youre saying that I did. [20] Further, she criticized how Castor had "partied in her backyard with friends like nothing was happening" as Ashley was comatose in her room. "I did not try to kill my daughter, period, and I will never say that I did, ever.". A Stressful Trial Comes to an End. [3][13] He told the jury about the word antifreeze being written as "anti-free" in four places within the note and noted that Castor had also said "anti-free" during an interview. "[19] Ashley said, "I would have done anything for her. On September 13, 2007, Castor gave her daughter a glass of vodka mixed with crushed pills, according to her court testimony. [3][4][6] When he did not appear at their shared workplace,[7] she had become worried. "She's fine. Along with being suspected of killing her first husband, Castor was found guilty of. 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. 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. Because if I don't, than Stacey won.". On September 12, 2007, as an early celebration of her birthday, Ashley had a drink mixed by Stacey and felt lethargic soon after, passing out in her bedroom. [19] She indicated that her mother, stepfather and some other relatives still support her. She says that's good enough for me.. When the detective picked up on her slip of the tongue, she accused him of trying to frame her and stopped the interview. April 20, 2009, 9:22 AM. But Ashley added that the support of her counselor and loved ones helped tremendously. During her mother's trial, Ashley reads an emotional statement to the judge. The next day, the episode will be available to stream on Hulu. Ashley had harsh words for her mother after her sentencing. I knew at that point we had a double homicide and Stacey Castor probably killed both her husbands, Spinelli said. When her sister came in to check on her later, she was unresponsive. 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. [3] In a final attempt to convince the jury that she was not guilty, Castor took the stand. Expert says David Castor's DNA was on turkey baster, which prosecution says was used to kill him The couple was married in 1990 and had two daughters together, Ashley and Bree. Advertisement Where are Ashley and Bree Wallace now? When the authorities questioned Ashley about the forged suicide note and the deaths of her father and stepfather, she maintained her innocence. When the police asked her about the letter, Ashley was shocked. [3] Ashley had already testified to having witnessed her mother working on the computer on something she had hidden to prevent Ashley's seeing it. Fingerprints from Castor and Bree were found on the suicide note, but both were seen touching the note before it was handed over to authorities to be taken in as evidence. "What gave her the right to play God with people? Ultimately, her daughters, Ashley and Bree Wallace, struggled to understand why their mother did what she did. She was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of David Castor, attempted murder of her daughter, and forging Castor's will. 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. Spinellis line of questioning led to a noticeably-suspicious response from Stacey Castor. They began to suspect she was involved in their murder. She was rushed to the hospital, and the authorities found a typewritten suicide note that appeared to be written by Ashley. Courtesy of the Onondaga Sheriff's Office. She becomes, you know, lethargic and eventually passes out and winds up in her bedroom., Sept. 13, 2007: Wallace drinks with mom again. The gruesome tale earned her the nickname The Black Widow in the news. Police knocked down the bedroom door to find David Castor dead of an apparent suicide. [3] Detectives reasoned that if Castor were truly genuine about her love for her late husbands, then she would eventually visit their graves. In 2005, her step-father, David Castor, took his own life. Ashley did have fond memories from her childhood. The . [15], Having searched Castor's computer, prosecutors had found several drafts of the suicide note Ashley was accused of writing. "She was. Ashley Wallace's testimony, Part 1 and Part 2 Update 2:50 p.m.: For . In an earlier interview, Stacey said that her life changed with Ashleys birth, adding, I knew from that minute on, my whole reason for being here was to take care of her. About three years later, Bree was born, and the family was complete. Even though I do hate her, I love her at the same time," Wallace said. [16] He sentenced her to the maximum of 25 years to life for the murder of David Castor, and to another 25 years for the attempt to kill Ashley. [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. Det. She was 48. "He wasn't a drinker; he didn't go out at night," she told Snapped. The following day, Stacey made her another drink. She repeated that she only drank the "nasty-tasting" beverage because she trusted Castor. Dubbed the "Black Widow," Castor was convicted of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and forging her husband's will in 2009. David was very conscientious, very work driven, very into outdoors, Castor said. It's difficult to fathom everything Ashley Wallace of Clay, NY experienced by the time she was 19, but let's try. Her mother kept telling her Ashley was tired and taking a nap, Bree said. By ASTRID RODRIGUES. I hate my mother for ruining so many people's lives," Ashley Wallace told David Muir in 2009. Dominick Spinelli of the Onondaga County Sheriffs department spoke with ABC News in 2018 about investigating Stacey Castor's case. He was having a hard time walking, and he was having a hard time talking, Castors older daughter, Ashley Wallace, told ABC News 20/20. [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. Stacey Castor has adamantly maintained her innocence. [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. Stacey Castor faced 25 years to life if convicted when her trial began in January 2009. In fact, he said they had talked about the issue about a month earlier and both agreed suicide was selfish and unfair to the loved ones left behind. They also had opposite shifts since she worked during the day as an ambulance dispatcher, and he worked during the evening as a mechanic. April 24, 2009 -- Stacey Castor became a prime suspect in the murder of her second husband and the attempted murder of her own daughter. In addition to the Turner and Castor antifreeze murder cases, similar cases were reported in 2008. "I would not be as far in life as I am if I gave up and turned to drugs or alcohol," Wallace says. They were blaming Stacey for this," she said. [15] With a "jam-packed" courtroom, most were focused on Castor. Fitzpatrick, who prosecuted the case, said there was compelling evidence against Castor. Michael Wallaces body is exhumed on Sept. 5, 2007 so investigators could examine it for signs of anti-freeze poisoning. [20] An emotional Ashley told the judge she hated her mother "for ruining so many people's lives" but still loved her for the bond she originally had with her. Lets just get drunk I was like, Cool! You know, what kind of teenager wouldnt think that was awesome? Castor told Muir in 2009 her daughters werent happy about the marriage. Would love your thoughts, please comment. She maintained that it was Ashley who murdered Wallace and David, though she would not speculate about motives beyond implying that her daughter might be mentally ill.[17] Fitzpatrick pointed out that Ashley's mother had never sought therapy for her and that at 21 Ashley exhibited no sign of mental illness. She would not frame Ashley.. Stacey Castor's daughter Ashley Wallace takes the stand in 2009 as the prosecution's first witness to tearfully testify about the deaths of her father and stepfather. The outlet also notes that Ashleys overdose occurred just days after police exhumed Wallaces body. Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. James Knoll Answers Viewers' Questions About Stacey Castor", "Wife convicted of attempting to murder husband with antifreeze", "Mistrial Declared In Antifreeze Murder Case", "Wife guilty of trying to kill husband with anti-freeze curry", "Husband guilty of murder in 'letter from grave' case", "Did Stacey Castor murder her own father? Ashley felt tired after that and went to sleep in her bedroom. Although his death was initially ruled a suicide, a police investigation revealed that he succumbed to antifreeze poisoning - similar to how Michael did. 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. [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. "[19] Both of Castor's daughters expressed concern that their mother had not yet apologized to them. [3][17] Castor said she had cut herself off while saying "antifreeze" because she had intended to say something else. And then she took that all away, Wallace said. Unlike her hard partying late husband, David was, "responsible," according to his ex-wife, Janice Poissant. Weeks later, Wallace was found unresponsive on the sofa in the family home and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. She claimed he was depressed. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Castor mixed her up a drink and Wallace drank it. On March 5, 2009, Stacey Castor was found guilty of the murder of her second husband, David, and also guilty of the attempted murder of her daughter Ashley. Since then, Wallace tells OprahMag.com she has "moved on with [her] life," but still struggles with the aftereffects of trauma. But, according to police, all of it was a lie -- and the seemingly unfortunate wife and mother was actually a cold-blooded killer, now known by many as the Black Widow.. Forensic investigators found that based on the timestamps, it had been written while Ashley was in school, proving she couldn't have been its author. [19], ABC interviewed forensic psychiatrist Dr. James Knoll for psychological perspective on the case and he answered viewers' questions via video on April 23, 2009, and via site comments on April 27, 2009. In 2003, three years after Wallaces death, Stacey married David Castor. [19] Castor maintains she is innocent of the deaths of her husbands and the attempted murder of Ashley. As for Bree, she seems to have moved on with her life as well. Ready forPoisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story? [5] Physicians told Castor that her husband had died of a heart attack. This is how she said goodbye. Well, I was scared too, when all I wanted was my mom. [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. Stacey and Michael married in April 1990, but over time, the relationship crumbled. Stacey Castor told police she had no way to get into the locked bedroom, which was why she called 911 to have police sent to her home to check on her husband the afternoon of Aug. 22, 2005. While Ashley was close to her mother, Bree was her fathers princess. [3][9], On Ashley's first day of college, investigators came to her school to question her about her father's death and to inform her that he had been poisoned instead of having died of a heart attack. In 2009, Stacey was sentenced to 51 years to life in prison. He described Castor as a "black widow" type rather than a typical serial killer. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. However, Ashley denied taking pills, insisting she only had the drink her mother gave her. By then, the couple had been together for two years. Ashley had harsh words for her mother after her sentencing. A woman who killed two. She's focused on moving forward. Powered by. According to Castor, the couple, from Clay, N.Y., had had a fight the previous weekend, but she said she was still surprised that her husband was so late getting to work. All Rights Reserved. Ashley and Bree testified at Staceys trial, where Stacey was convicted of murder and attempted murder. [3] They argued that the "suicide attempt" had actually been a planned-out murder attempt by Castor against Ashley. "She was my best friend and she took that all away, just because she got scared. [25][26][27] In 2002, a man had been convicted of murdering his wife by antifreeze in 1998. Thats when Stacey called the police when the authorities showed up, there was a suicide note next Ashleys unconscious body. [3], Castor's defense teamattorneys Charles Keller and Todd Smith[14]was set on creating reasonable doubt in the jury's minds about Castor having committed the murders. One of those times was to let Bree look in because the teenager had been asking if her mother was sure he was okay. Wallace was shaken and called her mother. Stacey Castor had already hired defense attorney Chuck Keller, who would follow the line of defense that Ashley was responsible for David Castors death and that Ashley also attempted to kill herself. [3], The following day, Castor invited Ashley to drink together at home again. Stacey was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and a plot to present a forged will. [3][9] They felt that this suggested he was force-fed antifreeze. And in 2007, she was reportedly poisoned and came within 15 minutes of death, according to ABC News. Even though I do hate her, I still love her at the same time.. "I kinda went hysterical. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Before dying in jail, Stacey Castor (pictured left) used antifreeze to carry out the poisoning deaths of both of her husbands, Stacey (pictured left) had two daughters with her first husband Michael. Stacey Castor's daughter Ashley Wallace takes the stand, Jan.14, 2009,in this photo from pool video, as the prosecution's first witness to tearfully testify about the deaths of her father and stepfather. [3] They listened in on phone calls for any unusual conversations. [24] Knoll said that killers may have many different motivations. "As hard as it is to get up everyday and put a smile on my face, I know that I have to. On the morning of September 14, 2007, Bree found Ashley barely alive in her bedroom. She was 48. Along with being suspected of killing her first husband, Castor was found guilty of poisoning her second husband with antifreeze and attempting to murder her daughter, Ashley Wallace. 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. She told her friend at the time, Dani Colman, she knew he was sleeping because when she put her ear up to the door she could hear him sleeping. Stacey Castor Accused of Poisoning Her Two Husbands, Plotting to Murder and Frame Daughter Ashley Wallace", "Stacey Castor's daughter, Ashley Wallace, testifies during antifreeze murder trial. [17], Prosecutors brought up another piece of "damaging evidence" against Castor when they cited having heard "typing sounds" while Castor was on the phone. Bree said that though losing her mother was hard, "I was happy that they said she was guilty, because we all know that she's guilty. "I was told later she was 15 minutes from death.". Stacey Castor was only a teenager when she first met Michael Wallace in 1985. When she awoke, Ashley said that the last thing she remembered was her mother making her a drink. Still, even back in 2009, Wallace felt relief after clearing her chest in the courtroom. Is Every Duggar Ridiculously Messy? Clockwise from left: Chauncey Eaton, David Castor, Stacey Castor, Judie Eaton, Bree Wallace, Ashley . 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. 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. "It had DNA evidence. Clockwise from left: Chauncey "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. So, if youre curious to find out more, weve got you covered. The note also called it antifree instead of antifreeze.. [3][16][20], I never knew what hate was until now. According to District Attorney Fitzpatrick, Castor died of a heart attack, and no foul play was suspected. How can you hate someone and love them at the same time? She says that her mother offered her a "nasty-tasting" drink that she at first refused but eventually drank because she trusted Castor. Leave her alone. She's focused on moving forward. 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. Ashley was born in 1987 to Michael Wallace and Stacey. 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. [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. [4] Their daughter Ashley was 12 at the time and had been alone with him. Stacey's behavior was so devious that her story spawned not only the Forensic Files episode but also an episode of 20/20 and a Lifetime movie titled Poisoned Love: The Stacy Castor Story starring Nia Vardalos. [13] Fitzpatrick claimed this was the day Castor wrote the note, which had Castor's fingerprints but not Ashley's, to frame her daughter. Passing away at age 48, authorities ruled that there was no foul play involved. While the authorities initially ruled it a suicide, they later learned Stacey was responsible for poisoning David. 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