ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A New York woman who poisoned her live-in boyfriend with anti-freeze-laced margarita mix was sentenced to 23 years in prison, authorities said.
Cynthia Galens, 52, was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in the death of Thomas "Kevin" Stack, 48, who died four days after drinking the toxic cocktail on Oct. 3, 2009, The (Rochester, N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle reported.
Earlier in the case Galens had been offered a sentence of 18 years if she pleaded guilty, an offer Galens turned down in favor a jury trial.
Ontario County Judge William Kocher, in sentencing Galens, said he was giving her the longer sentence because evidence presented at trial showed her actions were premeditated and she failed to do anything to help Stack, such as tell doctors the truth.
Galens had testified she did not intend to kill Stack. She said she wanted him to get sick, then go to live somewhere else because he hated her daughter, Emily, and she was scared he would hurt Emily.
Initially, Stack's death had been treated as an accident until Galens, while visiting a friend in Florida, told another friend what she had done.
That friend contacted an acquaintance, a local sheriff's deputy in Florida, which led to Galens' arrest, The Democrat and Chronicle reported.
