5 chilling details about Matt Podolak's murder

May 16, 2024

In 2006, Matt Podolak, an Ohio father-of-two, died under mysterious circumstances after complaining about back pain for months. An autopsy revealed that he suffered from chronic ethylene glycol poisoning, a hazardous substance often found in antifreeze. However, experts failed to determine how he could have ingested the substance on a regular basis.

Four years later, authorities received an unexpected tip that helped them connect all the dots. All signs pointed towards his former fiance, Holly McFeeture, who allegedly spiked his drinks over the course of three months, before Podolak slowly fell sick and eventually died in July. The case was officially determined to be a "homicide," and investigators had the key suspect right under their radar.

McFeeture was indicted in 2012 and went on trial the following year after she was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

The investigation and the trial turned into grounds for shocking revelations concerning Matt Podolak's death, and many few crucial facts soon surfaced about the murder.

Five key details about Matt Podolak's 2006 death from antifreeze poisoning

1) Matt Podolak was rushed to a hospital after his health started to fail on the day of his death

Matt Podolak, a well-liked hockey player and avid fisherman, was rushed to the hospital on July 30, 2006, when his health unexpectedly began to deteriorate. Since the spring of that year, Podolak, a former athletic hockey player, had been complaining about his health and pain in the lower back area. He even consulted a doctor who went on to diagnose him with kidney stones.

Podolak's kidneys were found to be quickly failing, and the doctors learned that he had metabolic acidosis, a condition in which the blood is excessively acidic. They suspected that he must have consumed lethal amounts of methanol or antifreeze. The victim died not long after at the Parma Community General Hospital.

2) Podolak's finace Holly McFeeture started acting strange within days following his death

After Matt Podolak's tragic demise, his fiance at the time and mother of his two children, Holly McFeeture, started acting odd. She showed no signs of remorse or distress at the funeral. In fact, one of her friends even noticed antifreeze in their house while visiting.

McFeeture told others that Matt had respiratory problems and was mostly in pain because of his hockey practices. However, her claims changed frequently, with McFeeture sometimes insinuating that her fiance committed suicide while other times mentioning that he was poisoned by a coworker or been exposed to hazardous materials at work.

3) One of her later ex-boyfriends tipped authorities on her involvement in the homicide

In 2008, McFeeture started dating Jamison Kennedy, who later tipped authorities about her, informing them of the time she had admitted to spiking Matt Podolak's drinks that made him sick and ultimately killed him. The two were reportedly talking over drinks when McFeeture got emotional and admitted to her crimes:

"She put something in his drinks and she wanted to stop but his kidneys were already failing."

4) A forensic pathologist theorized that McFeeture was spiking Podolak's iced tea

Dr. Galita, a forensic pathologist, performed an autopsy and reported that McFeeture began poisoning Podolak in the spring of 2006 by adding antifreeze to his iced tea. The drug was unintentionally consumed by Podolak and absorbed into his blood and liver.

The cause of Podolak's death was ruled as chronic ethylene glycol poisoning that took place over a three-month period.

5) Holly McFeeture was indicted with murder charges in 2012

About six years after Matt Podolak's tragic death from antifreeze poisoning, his fiance Holly McFeeture was charged with murder and arrested. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and was sent to trial. In 2013, after a controversial trial, a jury found her guilty of aggravated murder and contamination of a substance for human consumption. She was sentenced to life in prison with parole.

Learn more about the case on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered.

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