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. Update 2:50 p.m.: For . Still, even back in 2009, Wallace felt relief after clearing her chest in the courtroom. Since then, Wallace tells OprahMag.com she has "moved on with [her] life," but still struggles with the aftereffects of trauma. [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. ), When Ashley woke in the hospital, she denied writing the suicide note, according to The Age. 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. [15], Having searched Castor's computer, prosecutors had found several drafts of the suicide note Ashley was accused of writing. I had a speeding ticket when I was 18 years old, Castor remembered. During her mother's trial, Ashley reads an emotional statement to the judge. I do not believe Stacey did it. Stacey Castor was arrested on Sept. 14 and was charged with the murder of David Castor. 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. One of those times was to let Bree look in because the teenager had been asking if her mother was sure he was okay. [3][17] Castor said she had cut herself off while saying "antifreeze" because she had intended to say something else. During the trial, Castor had been dubbed "The Black Widow" by media outlets,[2] a title previously given to Lynn Turner. In 2003, three years after Wallaces death, Stacey married David Castor. Four years after David Castor's death, Stacey Castor, who'd become known as a "black widow" in the press, was arrested for murder and for attempted murder of Ashley Wallace. David was very conscientious, very work driven, very into outdoors, Castor said. She was also given up to four more years for forging Davids will in order to exclude his son from his first marriage. After Wallaces death at age 38, Castor collected a $55,000 life insurance policy. 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. [3] Castor's mother believed her granddaughter Ashley to be guilty. Sept. 5, 2007: Michael Wallaces body is exhumed, After the autopsy was completed, Sgt. On the morning of September 14, 2007, Bree found Ashley barely alive in her bedroom. 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. [2][3], Castor was employed by an ambulance dispatch company, while Wallace worked nights as a mechanic, but the family had little money. [25][26][27] In 2002, a man had been convicted of murdering his wife by antifreeze in 1998. However, an investigation revealed how the authorities believed that Stacey was responsible for it all. He said he called after dark that night to ask Castor to look for something he had left in Ashley's bedroom the previous day. [3][9], For two years, investigators had collected evidence against Castor for the deaths of her husbands. Stacey was responsible for poisoning David. [2][3] The couple married and had their first daughter, Ashley, in 1988. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Ashley Wallace said she drank another cocktail her mom had prepared for her. Speaking to 20/20 in 2009, Ashley explained, He was having a hard time walking, and he was having a hard time talking And one time, he sat up, and he just vomited across the coffee table and laid back down went back to sleep like nothing ever happed.. Michael Wallaces body is exhumed on Sept. 5, 2007 so investigators could examine it for signs of anti-freeze poisoning. 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.. [3] They wanted to observe her behavior while there. 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. 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. [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. In 2009, she was found guilty of intentionally poisoning her then-husband David Castor with antifreeze in 2005 and attempting to murder her daughter, Ashley Wallace, with crushed pills mixed in with vodka, orange juice, and Sprite in 2007. [3], "In 2005, people started to put it together," Cayuga County Sheriff Dave Gould said. Sweet!. I wanted to make sure she was convicted.. Dubbed the "Black Widow," Castor was convicted of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and forging her husband's will in 2009. Ashley is engaged to be married and is still close to her sister Bree. I never knew what hate was until now. Stacey did this by inviting Ashley over for a drink and doping her. She says that's good enough for me.. For the third time within eight years, Stacey Castor called for help, saying her daughter had consumed pills and a bottle of vodka. 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. [20] "Human life is sacred. [4] Their daughter Ashley was 12 at the time and had been alone with him. "And I will never say that I did, ever. Castor insinuated that Wallace was responsible for Michael and David's deaths. Stacey, the daughter of Jerry Daniels and Judie Eaton, met Michael Wallace when she was 17, in 1985, and they bonded immediately. "[19] Both of Castor's daughters expressed concern that their mother had not yet apologized to them. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Leave her alone. [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. "It had DNA evidence. In 2005, her step-father, David Castor, took his own life. "I did not try to kill my daughter, period, and I will never say that I did, ever.". Elena Nicolaou is the former culture editor at Oprah Daily. And then she took that all away, Wallace said. Under questioning by District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, she said she had not seen the note moments earlier. She's focused on moving forward. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. Jan. 11, 2000: Castors first husband dies. "[9], If there is a ceiling in terms of evil, she (Castor) is at the ceiling. She was sentenced to 25 years to life for the murder and an additional 25 years for the attempted murder. One time, he sat up, and he just vomited across the coffee table and laid back down went back to sleep like nothing ever happened. After Castors second husband died, however, investigators exhumed Wallaces body and discovered that he had actually died of antifreeze poisoning as well. A woman who killed two. When she awoke, Ashley said that the last thing she remembered was her mother making her a drink. She was rushed to the hospital, and the authorities found a typewritten suicide note that appeared to be written by Ashley. [4] Castor was the owner of an air conditioning installation and repair company, and Stacey served as his office manager. Castor never saw her daughters again. She said, I hope somebody hurts her in the way that she hurt meI hope she never gets to have her freedom ever again. But doctors told Stacey they thought it was a heart attack, Benson said. [8] A toxicology screening ruled that Wallace had also been killed through antifreeze poisoning. Her then 16-year-old old sister, Bree discovered her the following morning, and rushed her to the hospital, according to ABC News. "Your honor, [Castor] is a monster and a threat to society," he said. Investigators decided to exhume the body of Michael Wallace and examine him to see if his organs contained those telltale crystals associated with antifreeze. 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. Castor was convicted of killing her husband, David Castor, by poisoning him with antifreeze and framing her daughter for the murder. 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. 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. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Castor mixed her up a drink and Wallace drank it. Hey there, welcome to my channel. Gandino also testified Ashley had never talked about trying to commit suicide before. Sgt. She currently lives in Syracuse, New York, and is engaged to Nick Galoni. She repeated that she only drank the "nasty-tasting" beverage because she trusted Castor. Stacey Castor, 41, is shown here on the day of her wedding to David Castor in August 2003. [19], Bree, like Ashley, never spoke to Castor after the trial. Castor offered to get drunk again to celebrate her 21st birthday early, according to former Det. I can't imagine my own flesh and blood is 50 feet away from me, saying that You tried to kill me, and not having -- a reaction to that, Fitzpatrick said. Where is Wallace now? While utilizing antifreeze, Stacey poisoned and killed her late second husband David and proceeded to plot an attempt on her daughter Ashley's life. Ashley had harsh words for her mother after her sentencing. Doctors determined that he had died of a heart attack. Even though I do hate her, I still love her at the same time. I just wish that she would say sorry for everything she did, including all the lies. Stacey Castor defends herself during cross examination Watch on In June 2016, seven years into her 51-year sentence, Castor was found dead in her prison cell in Bedford Hills, New York. Powered by. In June 2016, she was found dead in her cell after suffering a heart attack. [3] Ashley's sister left her side for a moment and when she returned, she found a suicide note[11] beside Ashley. When her sister came in to check on her later, she was unresponsive. She was later found guilty of attempting to murder her daughter. 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. In 2000, Michael succumbed to a heart attack and died. [3] In a final attempt to convince the jury that she was not guilty, Castor took the stand. Castor really wanted the 911 call taker to know that there was a suicide note, former Onondaga Assistant District Attorney Christine Garvey said. Expert says David Castor's DNA was on turkey baster, which prosecution says was used to kill him While investigating Davids death, they took a second look at Wallaces death. 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. Stacey Ruth Castor (ne Daniels, formerly Wallace; July 24, 1967 June 11, 2016)[1] was an American convicted murderer from Weedsport, New York. She was sentenced to more than 51 years in prison. [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. In August 2005, at 2:00one afternoon, Castor called her local sheriff's office to tell them that her husband had locked himself in their bedroom for a day following an argument and was not responding to his cell phone. Aug. 16 2003: Castor marries her second husband. [24], Though Castor was not officially defined as a serial killer, it is likely that she would have killed again. Tonight, ABC News' 20/20 will speak to Stacey Castor's daughter, Ashley Wallace. [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. Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. [19] She indicated that her mother, stepfather and some other relatives still support her. [3], On cross examination, Fitzpatrick pointed out what he felt were flaws in Castor's version of that night. [29], Castor was found dead in her cell on the morning of June 11, 2016. All Rights Reserved. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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). [9][12], Prosecutors argued that the computer-generated note where Ashley "confesses" to killing Wallace and David had actually been written by Castor. She claimed that [Michael Wallace] had all sorts of medical issues, we went and got his medical records, Norton said. 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. 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. 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. Thats when Stacey called the police when the authorities showed up, there was a suicide note next Ashleys unconscious body. While the authorities initially ruled it a suicide, they later learned Stacey was responsible for poisoning David. 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. Stacey Castor, 48, died Saturday while serving 51 years to life in prison Castor was convicted of fatally poisoning her husband with antifreeze And trying to kill her daughter and frame. Police found a glass of green liquid on the bedside table next to where David Castor was found dead. "She was. She told the officers that she did not write the note and was confused about their questions and accusations. [3] On the stand, Ashley retold how her mother had convinced her to drink the two nights before she almost 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. In Touch Weekly is part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Copyright a360media 2023. 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. The Onondaga County jury found Castor guilty of murder for killing her husband, David, in 2005. As Wallace herself said at the trial, "I just want it to go away, but I know it will never go away.". Detective Dominick Spinelli remained skeptical and began an investigation that would last two years. "What gave her the right to play God with people? 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. "And I will never say that I did, ever., She was my best friend, too," Ashley Wallace said of her mother. They didnt want their father replaced., David was difficult with the kids, said Castor. [2], Stacey, the daughter of Jerry Daniels and Judie Eaton, met Michael Wallace when she was 17, in 1985, and they bonded immediately. Stacey's antifreeze killings and homicide plots are retold in an episode of 20/20 titled 20/20: Fatal Flaw - On The Rocks. Hear Stacey Castor's frantic 911 call to police about daughter who overdosed. Stacey and Michael married in April 1990, but over time, the relationship crumbled. And all of a sudden, he just sticks his arm up in the air and puts his arm on his side, and then his arm just fell down.. According to Castor, Wallace was very close to Bree, showing a favoritism that Castor made up for by becoming "best friends" with elder daughter Ashley. [30] It was not immediately apparent how she died and the manner of her death was listed as undetermined. [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. On August 5, 2022, the broadcast is expected to premiere on ABC at 8pm EST. [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. One night, the former served the latter an alcoholic drink loaded with a lethal dose of painkillers. The outlet also notes that Ashleys overdose occurred just days after police exhumed Wallaces body. But she . But whats the real deal? The next day, according to ABC, she drank with her mother again and fell asleep. Her husband, David, in 1988 there was a suicide, they later learned was. The stand Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy policy here: https:,... Apparent how she died and the authorities believed that Stacey was responsible for poisoning.! Links on our site, we went and got his medical records, Norton said the police when the believed!, David Castor here: https: //heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all reserved... About daughter who overdosed also given up to four more years for the attempted murder and. Will never say that I did, including all the lies the authorities believed that Stacey responsible! Wedding to David Castor in August 2003, 41, is shown here on the Rocks convicted. 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