Normally Weedsport, New York, is just like any other quiet village along the backroads of upstate New York—a place of summer fairs, high school sports rivalries, and neighbors who chat over their fences. But in the mid-2000s, this tranquil community found itself caught in the shadow of a shocking true crime story. One of their neighbors, a woman named Stacey Castor had orchestrated a vicious series of deceptions that would earn her the notorious label: “Black Widow.”

To those who knew her casually, Stacey seemed like a hardworking woman who had suffered more than her share of tragedies. She had lost two husbands under unusual circumstances and appeared to press on as a grieving widow and devoted mother to her two daughters, Ashley and Bree. But beneath this façade was a sinister plot for financial gain and self-preservation.

Stacey married Michael Wallace in 1990, and they settled in Clay, New York. For years, they seemed like a typical family, but by the late 1990s, cracks were visible. Michael’s health began to deteriorate in late 1999, with symptoms of nausea, slurred speech, and fatigue that left doctors puzzled. On January 11, 2000, 11-year-old Ashley found her father unresponsive on the couch. His death was ruled a heart attack, and Stacey collected $55,000 in life insurance. At the time, no one suspected foul play.

In 2003, Stacey married David Castor, a local HVAC business owner. Their marriage appeared stable, but friends later described tensions, with Stacey frequently complaining about David and seeming preoccupied with their finances. On August 22, 2005, Stacey called 911, claiming David had locked himself in their bedroom after a weekend of heavy drinking and despair over his father’s recent death. When authorities arrived, they found David dead on the bed, with a container of antifreeze nearby.

Stacey told investigators David had taken his own life, but the scene raised suspicions. David’s body showed no signs of distress typical of someone who had consumed a toxic substance, and his positioning on the bed seemed oddly pristine. Additionally, the antifreeze container had no fingerprints, and a turkey baster with antifreeze residue was found in the trash. Stacey resisted an autopsy, further heightening doubts. While David’s death was initially ruled a suicide, law enforcement began to scrutinize Stacey’s background.

In 2007, investigators exhumed Michael Wallace’s body, suspecting a connection. Forensic analysis revealed calcium oxalate crystals, evidence of antifreeze poisoning. What had been deemed a heart attack was now a homicide. With two suspicious deaths tied to her, Stacey became the prime suspect. Both husbands’ deaths left her financially better off, with life insurance payouts and sole control of household finances.

Faced with mounting evidence, Stacey made a chilling move to save herself. She devised a plan to frame her eldest daughter, Ashley, for the murders. In September 2007, Stacey invited Ashley over, offering her a mix of vodka, Sprite, and crushed pills. When Ashley hesitated, saying the drink tasted bitter, Stacey insisted it would help her “relax.” Ashley eventually consumed enough to lose consciousness. While Ashley lay incapacitated, Stacey typed a fake suicide note on Ashley’s computer. The note claimed responsibility for both Michael Wallace’s and David Castor’s deaths, portraying Ashley as a guilt-ridden murderer planning to take her own life.

The next morning, Ashley’s younger sister, Bree, found her unconscious and called 911. Ashley was rushed to the hospital, where doctors saved her life. Investigators, meanwhile, uncovered the “suicide note” on the family computer. Forensic analysis revealed the note had been typed when Ashley was at school, implicating Stacey in its creation. Combined with the antifreeze evidence and inconsistencies in her accounts, Stacey’s elaborate scheme unraveled.

Stacey was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and forgery. During her 2009 trial, Ashley testified against her mother, recounting the betrayal and near-death experience. Her emotional testimony shattered any doubts about Stacey’s guilt. The prosecution painted Stacey as a manipulative woman who used antifreeze as her weapon of choice and attempted to sacrifice her own daughter to avoid justice.

After four days of deliberation, Stacey was found guilty on all counts. In March 2009, she was sentenced to 51 years to life in prison. The judge condemned her actions, calling her betrayal of her daughter “incomprehensible.” 

Stacey Castor never admitted guilt or expressed remorse for her actions. In 2016, she died of a heart attack in prison at the age of 48, taking her remaining secrets with her.