New York Court Overturns Kaitlyn Conley's Manslaughter Conviction in Fatal Poisoning Case

The legal saga of Kaitlyn Conley has taken another unexpected turn. After her conviction for the fatal poisoning of her boss was overturned by a New York appellate court, the Oneida County District Attorney is now weighing whether to pursue a third trial. Conley's first trial ended in a hung jury, while her second trial resulted in an acquittal on the most serious charge of second-degree murder and a conviction for the lesser crime of manslaughter.

The court found that Conley's defense had not done enough to challenge the introduction of key evidence obtained from her cellphone through an improperly written warrant. As a result, her conviction was deemed unjust, leading to her release from prison earlier this year.

The Mysterious Illness and Death

On July 21, 2015, Mary Yoder, a chiropractor known for her love of health and fitness, was hospitalized with severe symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Despite the efforts of specialists, Yoder's condition deteriorated, and she was pronounced dead the following day. An autopsy later revealed that she had died from colchicine toxicity, a drug used to treat gout.

In November of that year, the Oneida County Sheriff's office received an anonymous letter claiming that Yoder's son, Adam, had admitted to poisoning her. The letter alleged that Adam Yoder had purchased the drug online, dosed his mother's vitamins with it, and concealed the bottle in his Jeep. The author of the letter claimed that Adam was motivated by anger and a belief that his mother's death would benefit him financially.

Shifting Suspicion

Authorities initially investigated Adam Yoder but later identified Kaitlyn Conley, the receptionist at Mary Yoder's clinic and Adam's ex-girlfriend, as the primary suspect. Conley was indicted on charges of second-degree murder, forgery, falsifying business records, and two counts of larceny in June 2016. During the investigation, it was discovered that Conley's cellphone had been used to search for "poison" and "colchicine" multiple times, and she had also purchased the prepaid debit card used to buy the colchicine.

The Trials

During Conley's first trial, the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. In the second trial, the prosecution presented evidence linking Conley to the crime, including her presence at the clinic on the day Mary Yoder fell ill and the motive of wanting to rekindle her relationship with Adam Yoder. Despite the defense's attempts to shift suspicion onto other individuals, Conley was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

Winning the Appeal

After serving time, Conley obtained a new lawyer who successfully argued that her previous attorney had failed to challenge the warrant that allowed authorities to access her cellphone. The appellate court agreed that this failure compromised her right to a fair trial and overturned her conviction. Conley was released from prison shortly after the ruling was issued.

The Legal Aftermath

Oneida County District Attorney Todd Carville is now faced with the decision of whether to pursue a third trial against Conley. The investigation into Mary Yoder's death remains ongoing, and the case continues to garner attention.