Cleveland woman accused of killing fiance in 2006 by poisoning him with antifreeze
Updated Jan 12, 2019;Posted Jul 27, 2012
LEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland woman who coaches youth baseball was accused this week of killing the father of their two children six years ago by poisoning his tea with antifreeze.
McFeeture, 34, was indicted Tuesday, charged with the 2006 murder of Matthew Podolak. They were engaged at the time and lived on Archmere Avenue in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland.
McFeeture, who is single, still lives on Archmere with the two children, but in another house. She was arrested Wednesday morning by U.S. marshals and taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail. She is to be arraigned Friday morning on one count of aggravated murder and one count of contaminating substance for human consumption.
Matthew Podolak's older brother, Mark Podolak, said his family long suspected McFeeture had something to do with Matthew's death.
"She just wasn't acting like somebody who was losing or about to lose a loved one," he said.
Matthew Podolak, 31, died July 31, 2006, after becoming seriously ill and being admitted to Parma General Hospital. Elizabeth Balraj, the county coroner at the time, ruled the cause of death to be chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, which is the active ingredient in antifreeze. She left the manner of death undetermined.
That changed in March of 2010 when then-Coroner Frank Miller ruled the death a homicide based on information Cleveland police had received in the form of a tip, Assistant County Prosecutor Brian McDonough said. The information ruled out suicide or accidental death, leaving only homicide as a possibility, he said.
McDonough said police believe McFeeture began poisoning Podolak days, if not weeks, before he died.
"We believe the anti-freeze was administered in sweet raspberry ice tea that he would drink daily," McDonough said.
Ehthylene glycol is sweet and odorless when consumed, McDonough said. When it metabolized in Podolak's body, the byproducts formed small crystals in his kidneys.
Five days before his death, Podolak went to the doctor's office complaining of pain, McDonough said, and was given medication for kidney stones. The prosecutor said Podolak later consumed enough anti-freeze to cause organ failure and death.
Podolak said his brother and McFeeture had an "up-and-down" relationship.
"He was the nicest dude and he cared so much for his kids," Mark Podolak said.
Matthew Podolak loved to hunt and fish and played varsity hockey at Brooklyn High School, his brother said.
He spent time in the U.S. Navy, for a while serving on a ship in the Persian Gulf, and later worked at Phoenix Industrial Finishing as a manager.
Provided by G.Neal (46804789)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Plain Dealer
MCFEETURE-REAX-TRIAL-2013-MF.JPG
Holly McFeeture was found guilty last month in the poisoning death of her former boyfriend. A judge is sentencing her today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brian Corrigan sentenced Holly McFeeture to life in prison today for slowly killing the father of two of her children with antifreeze.
The victim, Matthew Podolak, 31, died in 2006. A jury convicted McFeeture of the crime last month.
McFeeture was a suspect in Podolak's death since 2006 when a pathologist concluded he died from chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze. She was not charged until 2012, after Cleveland police received a tip that the poisoning was not an accident or a suicide.
Provided by G. Neal (46804789)
Updated Jan 12, 2019;Posted Jul 27, 2012
LEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland woman who coaches youth baseball was accused this week of killing the father of their two children six years ago by poisoning his tea with antifreeze.
McFeeture, 34, was indicted Tuesday, charged with the 2006 murder of Matthew Podolak. They were engaged at the time and lived on Archmere Avenue in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland.
McFeeture, who is single, still lives on Archmere with the two children, but in another house. She was arrested Wednesday morning by U.S. marshals and taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail. She is to be arraigned Friday morning on one count of aggravated murder and one count of contaminating substance for human consumption.
Matthew Podolak's older brother, Mark Podolak, said his family long suspected McFeeture had something to do with Matthew's death.
"She just wasn't acting like somebody who was losing or about to lose a loved one," he said.
Matthew Podolak, 31, died July 31, 2006, after becoming seriously ill and being admitted to Parma General Hospital. Elizabeth Balraj, the county coroner at the time, ruled the cause of death to be chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, which is the active ingredient in antifreeze. She left the manner of death undetermined.
That changed in March of 2010 when then-Coroner Frank Miller ruled the death a homicide based on information Cleveland police had received in the form of a tip, Assistant County Prosecutor Brian McDonough said. The information ruled out suicide or accidental death, leaving only homicide as a possibility, he said.
McDonough said police believe McFeeture began poisoning Podolak days, if not weeks, before he died.
"We believe the anti-freeze was administered in sweet raspberry ice tea that he would drink daily," McDonough said.
Ehthylene glycol is sweet and odorless when consumed, McDonough said. When it metabolized in Podolak's body, the byproducts formed small crystals in his kidneys.
Five days before his death, Podolak went to the doctor's office complaining of pain, McDonough said, and was given medication for kidney stones. The prosecutor said Podolak later consumed enough anti-freeze to cause organ failure and death.
Podolak said his brother and McFeeture had an "up-and-down" relationship.
"He was the nicest dude and he cared so much for his kids," Mark Podolak said.
Matthew Podolak loved to hunt and fish and played varsity hockey at Brooklyn High School, his brother said.
He spent time in the U.S. Navy, for a while serving on a ship in the Persian Gulf, and later worked at Phoenix Industrial Finishing as a manager.
Provided by G.Neal (46804789)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Plain Dealer
MCFEETURE-REAX-TRIAL-2013-MF.JPG
Holly McFeeture was found guilty last month in the poisoning death of her former boyfriend. A judge is sentencing her today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brian Corrigan sentenced Holly McFeeture to life in prison today for slowly killing the father of two of her children with antifreeze.
The victim, Matthew Podolak, 31, died in 2006. A jury convicted McFeeture of the crime last month.
McFeeture was a suspect in Podolak's death since 2006 when a pathologist concluded he died from chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze. She was not charged until 2012, after Cleveland police received a tip that the poisoning was not an accident or a suicide.
Provided by G. Neal (46804789)
Cleveland woman accused of killing fiance in 2006 by poisoning him with antifreeze
Updated Jan 12, 2019;Posted Jul 27, 2012
LEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland woman who coaches youth baseball was accused this week of killing the father of their two children six years ago by poisoning his tea with antifreeze.
McFeeture, 34, was indicted Tuesday, charged with the 2006 murder of Matthew Podolak. They were engaged at the time and lived on Archmere Avenue in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland.
McFeeture, who is single, still lives on Archmere with the two children, but in another house. She was arrested Wednesday morning by U.S. marshals and taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail. She is to be arraigned Friday morning on one count of aggravated murder and one count of contaminating substance for human consumption.
Matthew Podolak's older brother, Mark Podolak, said his family long suspected McFeeture had something to do with Matthew's death.
"She just wasn't acting like somebody who was losing or about to lose a loved one," he said.
Matthew Podolak, 31, died July 31, 2006, after becoming seriously ill and being admitted to Parma General Hospital. Elizabeth Balraj, the county coroner at the time, ruled the cause of death to be chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, which is the active ingredient in antifreeze. She left the manner of death undetermined.
That changed in March of 2010 when then-Coroner Frank Miller ruled the death a homicide based on information Cleveland police had received in the form of a tip, Assistant County Prosecutor Brian McDonough said. The information ruled out suicide or accidental death, leaving only homicide as a possibility, he said.
McDonough said police believe McFeeture began poisoning Podolak days, if not weeks, before he died.
"We believe the anti-freeze was administered in sweet raspberry ice tea that he would drink daily," McDonough said.
Ehthylene glycol is sweet and odorless when consumed, McDonough said. When it metabolized in Podolak's body, the byproducts formed small crystals in his kidneys.
Five days before his death, Podolak went to the doctor's office complaining of pain, McDonough said, and was given medication for kidney stones. The prosecutor said Podolak later consumed enough anti-freeze to cause organ failure and death.
Podolak said his brother and McFeeture had an "up-and-down" relationship.
"He was the nicest dude and he cared so much for his kids," Mark Podolak said.
Matthew Podolak loved to hunt and fish and played varsity hockey at Brooklyn High School, his brother said.
He spent time in the U.S. Navy, for a while serving on a ship in the Persian Gulf, and later worked at Phoenix Industrial Finishing as a manager.
Provided by G.Neal (46804789)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Plain Dealer
MCFEETURE-REAX-TRIAL-2013-MF.JPG
Holly McFeeture was found guilty last month in the poisoning death of her former boyfriend. A judge is sentencing her today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brian Corrigan sentenced Holly McFeeture to life in prison today for slowly killing the father of two of her children with antifreeze.
The victim, Matthew Podolak, 31, died in 2006. A jury convicted McFeeture of the crime last month.
McFeeture was a suspect in Podolak's death since 2006 when a pathologist concluded he died from chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze. She was not charged until 2012, after Cleveland police received a tip that the poisoning was not an accident or a suicide.
Provided by G. Neal (46804789)
Updated Jan 12, 2019;Posted Jul 27, 2012
LEVELAND, Ohio — A Cleveland woman who coaches youth baseball was accused this week of killing the father of their two children six years ago by poisoning his tea with antifreeze.
McFeeture, 34, was indicted Tuesday, charged with the 2006 murder of Matthew Podolak. They were engaged at the time and lived on Archmere Avenue in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland.
McFeeture, who is single, still lives on Archmere with the two children, but in another house. She was arrested Wednesday morning by U.S. marshals and taken to the Cuyahoga County Jail. She is to be arraigned Friday morning on one count of aggravated murder and one count of contaminating substance for human consumption.
Matthew Podolak's older brother, Mark Podolak, said his family long suspected McFeeture had something to do with Matthew's death.
"She just wasn't acting like somebody who was losing or about to lose a loved one," he said.
Matthew Podolak, 31, died July 31, 2006, after becoming seriously ill and being admitted to Parma General Hospital. Elizabeth Balraj, the county coroner at the time, ruled the cause of death to be chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, which is the active ingredient in antifreeze. She left the manner of death undetermined.
That changed in March of 2010 when then-Coroner Frank Miller ruled the death a homicide based on information Cleveland police had received in the form of a tip, Assistant County Prosecutor Brian McDonough said. The information ruled out suicide or accidental death, leaving only homicide as a possibility, he said.
McDonough said police believe McFeeture began poisoning Podolak days, if not weeks, before he died.
"We believe the anti-freeze was administered in sweet raspberry ice tea that he would drink daily," McDonough said.
Ehthylene glycol is sweet and odorless when consumed, McDonough said. When it metabolized in Podolak's body, the byproducts formed small crystals in his kidneys.
Five days before his death, Podolak went to the doctor's office complaining of pain, McDonough said, and was given medication for kidney stones. The prosecutor said Podolak later consumed enough anti-freeze to cause organ failure and death.
Podolak said his brother and McFeeture had an "up-and-down" relationship.
"He was the nicest dude and he cared so much for his kids," Mark Podolak said.
Matthew Podolak loved to hunt and fish and played varsity hockey at Brooklyn High School, his brother said.
He spent time in the U.S. Navy, for a while serving on a ship in the Persian Gulf, and later worked at Phoenix Industrial Finishing as a manager.
Provided by G.Neal (46804789)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Plain Dealer
MCFEETURE-REAX-TRIAL-2013-MF.JPG
Holly McFeeture was found guilty last month in the poisoning death of her former boyfriend. A judge is sentencing her today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brian Corrigan sentenced Holly McFeeture to life in prison today for slowly killing the father of two of her children with antifreeze.
The victim, Matthew Podolak, 31, died in 2006. A jury convicted McFeeture of the crime last month.
McFeeture was a suspect in Podolak's death since 2006 when a pathologist concluded he died from chronic intoxication by ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in antifreeze. She was not charged until 2012, after Cleveland police received a tip that the poisoning was not an accident or a suicide.
Provided by G. Neal (46804789)
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