Stacey Castor
/ file photo
Nearly a year after the conviction of Stacey Castor for the murder of her husband David and attempted murder of her daughter, Ashley Wallace, the family of her first alleged victim say they're still waiting for justice.
John Corbett, brother-in-law to Castor's first husband, Michael Wallace, says the last year has been "...frustrating. We can't move forward in Cayuga County."
Michael Wallace died in Cayuga County in 2000. At first his death was ruled a heart attack. In 2008, Onondaga County investigators, looking into David Castor's death, had Wallace's body exhumed. The medical examiner determined Wallace was actually poisoned by anti-freeze. During the trial of Stacey Castor, that evidence was used as proof she also murdered David Castor in much the same way.
Corbett says the family is still waiting for Stacey to be charged with the murder of her first husband. Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann says the problem is reluctance on the part of the prosecution's star witness, Ashley Wallace. Budelmann says Wallace was traumatized by the first trial. Ashley Wallace often cried on the stand as she related how her own mother tried to poison her as part of a failed plot to blame Ashley for the murders of Castor's husbands.
"Right now,we're in kind of a holding pattern." Budelmann told CNYcentral. He added, "I do think there's a need for justice for Michael Wallace, the family believes that, but not at the cost of further injury to Ashley."
Speaking on Ashley Wallace's behalf, her attorney Edward Dunn said: "She feels justice has been done. It's not that she doesn't want to cooperate with law enforcement. not at all. She does not want to relive all those memories."
Though Budelmann says he does intend to prosecute Stacey Castor someday, there's no rush. Budelmann points out here's no statute of limitation on murder, and Castor is serving a sentence of 51 years to life in prison.
