[15] With a "jam-packed" courtroom, most were focused on Castor. Stacey Castor met her second husband, David Castor, through her boss in 2001. "As horrible as it makes me feel, this is goodbye, Mom. 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. I want her to sleep through til morning," Bree quoted her mother as saying. [3], On cross examination, Fitzpatrick pointed out what he felt were flaws in Castor's version of that night. Prosecution's opening statements, The Witness List: A quick guide to the testimony. [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. A Stressful Trial Comes to an End. Ashley is engaged to be married and is still close to her sister Bree. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. "She was my best friend and she took that all away, just because she got scared. Fortunately, the young woman survived the scare. Police eventually decided to exhume Wallaces body, which is when they learned that he, too, had been killed through antifreeze poisoning. Ultimately, her daughters, Ashley and Bree Wallace, struggled to understand why their mother did what she did. [3][16][20], I never knew what hate was until now. [2] A special two-hour edition of ABC's 20/20 aired on April 24, 2009, and again on February 8, 2019, to provide the full story of the Castor case. 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. .css-ssumvd{display:block;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.0625rem;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.25;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-ssumvd:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-ssumvd{letter-spacing:0rem;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}The "Friends" Women Reunite to Celebrate Courteney, The Reason Hoda Kotb Hasn't Been on the Today Show, Keke Palmer Is a New Mom! [30] It was not immediately apparent how she died and the manner of her death was listed as undetermined. You can check out the video here. [15] She had said that her husband got the idea to kill himself with antifreeze while both were watching a news report about Lynn Turner, who murdered two past lovers by using the poison. Powered by. 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. Tonight, ABC News' 20/20 will speak to Stacey Castor's daughter, Ashley Wallace. For some reason, God kept me on this planet. 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. [2], In late 1999, Wallace began feeling intermittently ill. Family members variously remember him as acting unsteady, coughing and seeming swollen. I asked Stacey, Do you remember which glass it was that you poured the cranberry juice in? and she looked at it and said, Well, when I poured the anti-free-- I and then she stopped and said, I mean-- I mean, the cranberry juice.. Castors younger daughter, Bree Wallace, found her older sister unresponsive, and she and her mom called 911. The daughters of Stacey Castor, Bree and Ashley Wallace, asking a judge to throw the book at their own mother. Castor, New York Department of Corrections inmate number 09G0209, was placed in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in Bedford Hills, New York. By then, the couple had been together for two years. A former friend of Castors told ABC News that she was contemplating divorce when Wallace got sick in the winter of 1999. [19] She indicated that her mother, stepfather and some other relatives still support her. And then she was tired, after she drank it, and went and laid down., Sept. 14, 2007: Wallace is 15 minutes from death, Castor is arrested and arraigned. She faces 25 years to life in prison. Police found that in David Castor's will, he left everything to his wife and her two daughters - and nothing to his son. 2005 to 2006: Det. 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. [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. Thats when Stacey called the police when the authorities showed up, there was a suicide note next Ashleys unconscious body. When her sister came in to check on her later, she was unresponsive. To Stacey Castor, human beings are disposable. That bothers me, it is so confusing. 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. April 24, 2009 -- Stacey Castor became a prime suspect in the murder of her second husband and the attempted murder of her own daughter. The outlet also notes that Ashleys overdose occurred just days after police exhumed Wallaces body. Under questioning by District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, she said she had not seen the note moments earlier. But Ashley added that the support of her counselor and loved ones helped tremendously. Stacey Castor, 41, is shown here on the day of her wedding to David Castor in August 2003. This was a prosecutor who loves forensic evidence's dream 'cause it had computer evidence," Fitzpatrick said. It was only after leaving the room momentarily that Bree said she found a typewritten note folded in half at the top of the bed. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. CONVICTED murderer Stacey Castor used duplicitous methods to victimize her own family members. [24] When asked if Castor's behavior and body language on the stand shows any sort of clue about her mental state and guilt, Knoll reminded that body language and behavior can be affected by events during a trial (such as "side effects of medications, anxiety, fatigue and attorney instructions to the defendant on how to behave") and that their interpretation is not always reliable. For the third time within eight years, Stacey Castor called for help, saying her daughter had consumed pills and a bottle of vodka. "He wasn't a drinker; he didn't go out at night," she told Snapped. When she awoke, Ashley said that the last thing she remembered was her mother making her a drink. The witness also told the jurors how she had not seen her sister during the afternoon and evening of the previous day. He testified Stacey Castor seemed to be trying to keep him from trying to contact Ashley the afternoon and evening of Sept. 13, 2007. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. She claimed that [Michael Wallace] had all sorts of medical issues, we went and got his medical records, Norton said. 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. [3][9] Bree demanded that help be sought, and Castor made the 911 call. One night, the former served the latter an alcoholic drink loaded with a lethal dose of painkillers. Ashley and Bree testified at Staceys trial, where Stacey was convicted of murder and attempted murder. Stacey Castor was arrested on Sept. 14 and was charged with the murder of David Castor. 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. 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. [19], Bree, like Ashley, never spoke to Castor after the trial. I would have done anything for her, but she decided she wanted to kill me instead.. 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. Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) plays Castor, whose likable demeanor hides her dark side. - Official ABC 20/20 YouTube clip, Daughter testifies in Stacey Castor murder trial (Video), Update: Jurors talk on video about Stacey Castor guilty verdict, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stacey_Castor&oldid=1142148661, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 19:46. She was later found guilty of attempting to murder her daughter. They showed me a copy of the suicide note that Ashley had left, and as I reviewed it, one of the things that jumped out at me and was unbelievable was: I had interviewed Stacey, and during my interview with her, she called antifreeze, antifree,' lead investigator Detective Dominick Spinelli told 20/20. Wallace lives in New York and is engaged and married. 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. On April 24, 2009, ABC aired a two-hour 20/20 special about Castor and the trial, which included interviews. She once recalled, Wed just go for a ride in the car, you know? I cannot believe Stacey has it in her to kill two men. 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. 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. [3] During one of the wiretapped recordings presented, "typing sounds" can be heard while Castor talks to a friend, though Castor denied memory of using the computer that day. Keep scrolling to get to know the true story behind the movie. She was convicted of second-degree murder of David Castor, attempted murder of her daughter, and forging David Castor's will. Like Bree, he said Castor kept telling him when he called that Ashley was very tired and was still taking a nap. She is now remembered as The Black Widow, famously named by the media during her years-long trial. David had a grown son, David Jr., and she had daughters, Ashley and Bree. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. [17] Fitzpatrick frequently shouted at Castor, inspiring Castor's defense attorney Charles Keller to frequently object and even to request a mistrial. I knew at that point we had a double homicide and Stacey Castor probably killed both her husbands, Spinelli said. "As hard as it is to get up everyday and put a smile on my face, I know that I have to. Imagine Wallace's horror when she woke up in the hospital on September 14, 2007 and discovered that her mother and "best friend," Stacey Castor, was likely behind each of these acts. Stacey Castor, 40, gave her 20-year-old daughter a tainted drink the night of Sept. 13, then typed a note to make the poisoning look like a suicide, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said. Where Are Ashley and Bree Wallace Today? Castor was convicted of killing her husband, David Castor, by poisoning him with antifreeze and framing her daughter for the murder. "I never knew what hate was until now. In 2000, when she was 11, her father, Michael Wallace, died of a suspected heart attack. 'Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story' by Lifetime is set to retell the haunting story of Stacey's machinations. Wallace's mother tried to kill her. [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 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. Even with credit for time served, her earliest possible release date was June 15, 2055slightly over a month shy of her 88th birthday. Those who knew him, including his ex-wife Janice Poissant Farmer, rejected the idea Castor killed himself. [3], The detectives on the case ordered wiretappings on Castor's house. And being my children, they questioned everything., Aug. 22, 2005: Castors second husband dies. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Jan. 11, 2000: Castors first husband dies. 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. Stacey's antifreeze killings and homicide plots are retold in an episode of 20/20 titled 20/20: Fatal Flaw - On The Rocks. "As horrible as this makes me feel, mom, this is goodbye." Ashley Wallace. As Poisoned Love shows, Ashley and Bree Wallace were once very close to their mom. As for Bree, she seems to have moved on with her life as well. Three months after Castors death, Spinelli reached out to nearby Cayuga County investigators about the death of Michael Wallace to learn more. [3] Castor said that they had been through enough emotional stress and needed to relax. During her mother's trial, Ashley reads an emotional statement to the judge. That note turned out to be a nearly 700-word suicide note which contained a confession to the 2000 murder of the Wallaces' father, Michael, and the 2005 murder of their stepfather, David Castor. 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. On June 11, 2016, Stacey was found dead from a heart attack in her jail cell. Today, we are discussing Stacey Castor. 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. Spinelli stays on the case. The jurors also heard Friday from Ashley Wallace's boyfriend, Matthew Gandino. [8], In September 2007, amid mounting evidence that Castor had murdered both of her husbands, she began to panic. [2] In 1991, they had a second daughter, Bree. [2], Stacey, the daughter of Jerry Daniels and Judie Eaton, met Michael Wallace when she was 17, in 1985, and they bonded immediately. They gave birth to their Ashley in 1988, and their second daughter, Bree, in 1991. That was fun. Ashley then talked about that fateful day in January 2000. Bree said her 20-year-old sister was lying across the foot of her bed with a couple of pillows over her face and an empty vodka bottle and prescription pill bottle in the bed near her. 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. [3][4][6] When he did not appear at their shared workplace,[7] she had become worried. In this image made from video Stacey Castor appears in court after hearing she was found guilty in Syracuse, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2009. [5] Physicians told Castor that her husband had died of a heart attack. In 2005, he was found dead in his bedroom. [3][9] When Ashley woke up, with police questioning her about the murders and the suicide note found beside her, she said that the last thing she remembered was her mother making her an alcoholic drink, something she had never done before. Ashley Wallace, daughter of Stacey Castor and Michael Wallace, spoke with ABC News in 2009 after her mother's conviction. When police searched the kitchen and found a turkey baster apparently smelling of alcohol disposed in the trash can, they began to suspect foul play. 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. As his inexplicable sickness persisted over the holiday season, his family encouraged him to seek medical care, but he died in early 2000 before he could do so. [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. Ashley had harsh words for her mother after her sentencing. Since then, Wallace tells OprahMag.com she has "moved on with [her] life," but still struggles with the aftereffects of trauma. She was also convicted for the attempted murder of. Book in stores and online! And I will survive because now I'm survived by people who love me," Wallace said, while her mother looked on. Castor tried to kill Wallace, and frame her for murdera crime Castor herself had committed. She testified David Castor had apparently locked himself in his bedroom at some point over the weekend, a fact corroborating Stacey Castor's story to police. 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. Eight years later, those close to Wallace began to notice symptoms of illness- Wallace coughed incessantly and seemed swollen. My teeth have been left as tiny stumps and I'm in constant pain after dental treatment in Turkey ruined my smile, Ten people killed in Luzerne County after horror Nescopeck house fire as criminal investigation launched, Inside Andrew Tate's rise to infamy from Big Brother eviction & controversial comments to flaunting lavish lifestyle, Shock as 13ft beluga WHALE swims up the Seine near Paris sparking frantic rescue effort, Bar sparks fury after sleazy advert for new staff - but not everyone is saying the same thing, Mystery surrounds Bigfoot 'howling' clip after experts speak out about recording of 'hairy 7ft beast'. [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. The Daughter of Notorious "Black Widow" Opens Up, A Lifetime Movie Is About This Shocking Abduction, The "Friends" Women Reunite to Celebrate Courteney, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, "Even though I hate her, I love her at the same time," Wallace said in an. That's the closest I've ever come to a brush with the law. Castor told Muir in 2009 her daughters werent happy about the marriage. They also had opposite shifts since she worked during the day as an ambulance dispatcher, and he worked during the evening as a mechanic. Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google or Facebook password. "[19] Ashley said, "I would have done anything for her. 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. I dont know what it is yet, but Im sure Ill find out. I just couldnt believe that that was happening.. When the authorities questioned Ashley about the forged suicide note and the deaths of her father and stepfather, she maintained her innocence. He described Castor as a "black widow" type rather than a typical serial killer. [31] It was later determined by the D.A. Stacey took her daughters to Disney World after Mike Wallace died. In a fiery cross examination, Fitzpatrick confronted Castor with phone calls investigators had from wiretapping her phone, as well as computer evidence that showed she had not only written Ashleys suicide letter, but had two drafts. Stacey Castor claimed it was a suicide, but detectives soon suspected murder -- and she then tried to poison her own daughter, Ashley, with antifreeze and frame her with a suicide note confessing . 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. In 2009, her mother was found guilty of intentionally poisoning her then-husband David Castor with antifreeze and later trying to kill her too. She, however, had her eyes closed as the verdicts were read. Stacey Castor listens to opening statements in court in Syracuse, N.Y., Jan. 13, 2009, in this photo from pool video, as opening statements begin in her murder trial. Chanelle Peloso (The Bletchley Circle) is Ashley, the oldest of Castor's two daughters. Ashley felt tired after that and went to sleep in her bedroom. [3] After she learned police had exhumed Wallace's body and found traces of antifreeze in his system, she was believed to have devised a plan to set up her daughter Ashley for the murders. I did not kill Michael Wallace, I did not kill David Castor, and I did not try to kill my daughter, period," Castor told 20/20's David Muir in 2009. "Stacey was very intelligent," her mother, Judie Eaton, said. [4] Castor was the owner of an air conditioning installation and repair company, and Stacey served as his office manager. Since Castor died in 2016, Wallace now has to live without her apology, or answers. Stacey Castor was indicted on one count each of second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and a plot to present a forged will. In 2000, Michael succumbed to a heart attack and died. In 2009, Stacey was sentenced to 51 years to life in prison. Unlike her hard partying late husband, David was, "responsible," according to his ex-wife, Janice Poissant. "[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.