Few criminals have captured the attention of Central New York the way Stacey Castor did. Her trial, for poisoning her husband and trying to kill her daughter, aired live on local airwaves. And we watched as she was convicted of the crimes in 2009. Seven years later, Castor's death has caught many by surprise, the same way her ruthless crimes did. Iris St. Meran sat down with some of the key players in the case, to get their reaction.
Before her 2009 murder trial, few would have identified Stacey Castor as the face of evil.
"She wasn't a loud or boisterous person. She was as average a person as I ever met," said Charles Keller, Castor’s defense attorney.
Castor was convicted of killing her second husband, David Castor with antifreeze, and trying to do the same to her daughter. She was six years into a 51 years to life sentence in a Westchester County prison when she died Saturday.
"I was pretty shocked. I don't think anybody expected it," Keller recalled.
"I have mixed emotions on finding out,” David Castor, Jr. said, “I'm happy she's deceased; however, I'm really hopeful she doesn't ever rest beside my father. I hope he can get moved before that happens."
Castor, Jr. has been working to get his father's body exhumed since Stacey was convicted. When asked about his father he explained, “he was a good man; he didn't deserve what happened to him."
David Castor, Sr. is buried at the Owasco Rural Cemetery. Part of his headstone reads "Husband of Stacey R." and next to him lies Stacey Castor's first husband, Michael Wallace. Her name and date of birth is printed on his headstone. Wallace's death was never ruled suspicious, but family feels he may have been poisoned too.
"I don't think that she has a right to be buried there in the first place. She should be buried in a prison cemetery," said the younger Castor.
District Attorney William Fitzpatrick prosecuted the case. He called Castor's daughter Ashley Wallace as soon as he found out her mother died in prison.
"She had no plans immediately to visit her mother,” Fitzpatrick said, “She made it very clear to me she didn't want to see her again. It's still her mother. They went to Disney World together. They had some good times together and she's also the woman who tried to murder her."
Fitzpatrick called Wallace a remarkable woman who is doing amazing things in her life, but stressed she will never have closure. His office is waiting on toxicology results from the Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office.
"My number one concern right now is to get a cause of death so I can advise her two daughters in case there's any health issues they have to be concerned about in their future," said Fitzpatrick.
Including federal appeals, this case has carried on in some capacity for more than a decade. While the family may never have closure, Stacey Castor's death has closed a chapter in one of Central New York's most infamous crimes.
The Westchester County Medical Examiner's Office will determine Stacey Castor's cause of death.