Dramatic love triangle led to Massachusetts woman poisoning her boyfriend with antifreeze ingredient, prosecutors say
The Massachusetts murder trial for Judy Church, accused of poisoning her boyfriend with an ingredient commonly found in antifreeze, got underway Wednesday as prosecutors say a dramatic love triangle led up to the man's death.
Prosecutors told jurors that Church deliberately poisoned her boyfriend, Leroy Fowler, with ethylene glycol because she was jealous of his ongoing relationship with another woman. Church's defense lawyers instead say there was no murder, and their client is being set up by the victim's family because they don't like her.
Church, a 67-year-old woman from Salisbury, is facing a charge of first-degree murder for Fowler's November 2022 death.
Antifreeze poisoning trial
Prosecutors allege that on the morning of November 11, Fowler's birthday, Church deliberately poisoned his fruit punch flavored Powerade. Prosecutors told the 16-person jury in opening statements on Wednesday that the poison actually has a sweet flavor that was further masked by the sweet drink.
Prosecutor Andrew Camelio told jurors in his opening statement that Church videotaped her boyfriend as he thrashed around their Salisbury bedroom because of the impact of the poison for 30 minutes before calling 911. When she did call 911, the jury heard the recording in which Church told the dispatcher that Fowler "must have ingested something."
Church's attorneys allege that something was Percocet, a drug Fowler was allegedly known to consume. They told jurors to keep an open mind and wait to hear the entire puzzle, and alleged a conspiracy by Fowler's family against Church.
Jurors see voodoo doll
Church's attorneys also vehemently denied the prosecution's alleged motive in the case - a dramatic love trial.
Both sides agree that Fowler was dating two women at the same time - Church, and another woman named Barbara. Church was known to refer to Barbara as an expletive, while Barbara referred to Church as "grandma." Both women knew about the other.
In fact, jurors saw a picture of a voodoo doll that Fowler's son testified Church kept of "Barbara" – one she would allegedly pin and throw around. They also saw body camera footage of EMTs responding to help Fowler as he was in medical distress.
While prosecutors claim the other woman was the motive for the murder, defense lawyers say Church had already "won" the love triangle. Fowler had apparently already dumped the other woman and was planning to move to Florida with Church.
The trial's opening day on Wednesday ended with the victim's son on the stand. He will pick back up his testimony when the case resumes in Salem Superior Court on Friday.
