CONVICTED murderer Stacey Castor used duplicitous methods to victimize her own family members.
While utilizing antifreeze, Stacey poisoned and killed her late second husband David and proceeded to plot an attempt on her daughter Ashley’s life.
Who was Stacey Castor?
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.
Her first victim was her first husband Michael Wallace, who she married in 1998.
In 2000, Michael succumbed to a heart attack and died.
However, when his corpse was exhumed for a toxicology screening years later, investigators revealed that he was killed through antifreeze poisoning.
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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.
Stacey and David married in 2003, they met while working together at the latter’s air conditioning installation and repair company.
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.
Although his death was initially ruled a suicide, a police investigation revealed that he succumbed to antifreeze poisoning – similar to how Michael did.
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In September 2007, Stacey attempted to frame her daughter Ashley for killing both of her deceased husbands.
In order to do this, she attempted to murder Ashley and make the killing look like a suicide, and she even drafted a fraudulent confession to be found with her lifeless body if she succeeded.
One night, the former served the latter an alcoholic drink loaded with a lethal dose of painkillers.
Stacey’s younger daughter Bree found Ashley the next morning and took her to the hospital.
When the authorities questioned Ashley about the forged suicide note and the deaths of her father and stepfather, she maintained her innocence.
Stacey was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and a plot to present a forged will.
What was Stacey’s cause of death?
On February 5, 2009, Stacey was found guilty on one count of second-degree murder for David’s poison homicide and an additional count of attempted second-degree murder of Ashley.
A month later on Tuesday, March 5, she was sentenced to 51 years to life in prison.
Regarding the crimes, she told 20/20 anchor David Muir: “I did not kill Michael Wallace, I did not kill David Castor.
“I did not try to kill my daughter, period, and I will never say that I did, ever.”
On June 11, 2016, Stacey was found dead from a heart attack in her jail cell.
Passing away at age 48, authorities ruled that there was no foul play involved.
How can I watch Stacey’s episode of 20/20?
Stacey’s antifreeze killings and homicide plots are retold in an episode of 20/20 titled 20/20: Fatal Flaw – On The Rocks.
20/20: Fatal Flaw – On The Rocks chronicles David Castor’s death and the chain of events that resulted in Stacey’s incarceration.
On August 5, 2022, the broadcast is expected to premiere on ABC at 8pm EST.
The next day, the episode will be available to stream on Hulu.
Prior to the 20/20 broadcast, the true crime events were previously chronicled in Lifetime’s Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story.