Kriti Mehrotra
It was May 8, 2018, when Amy Fanion was found dead inside her Westfield, Massachusetts, farmhouse with a single gunshot wound to the head, leaving the entire community shaken to the core. That’s because, as explored in CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Detective’s Wife,’ it soon came to light that her seemingly idyllic life wasn’t perfect after all, and it was her husband who pulled the trigger on her. The initial claim was that she had died by suicide, but once Westfield Police Department Detective Brian Fanion’s affair with Corrine “Cori” Hasty came out, it became evident that he had killed her.
Cori Hasty and Brian Fanion Had a Passionate Relationship
Corrine “Cori” Hasty (nee Knowles) was 48 years old when she first came across Brian Fanion during a Church Mission trip to Mexico in November 2017, and the two quickly struck up a friendship. This connection gradually turned into much more as it became clear that neither was happy in their respective married unions, with Cori in particular struggling with her troubled situation. She reportedly leaned heavily on her friend-turned-more as he helped her understand what she wanted out of her second marriage, all the while maintaining her standing as a family woman. After all, Cori is a mother, grandmother and member of her church’s choir – something she has always been deeply proud of considering her background and innate faith.
Cori told officials that Brian’s supportive and easy-going nature pulled her into him. According to her own accounts, though, nothing happened between them until she visited his farmhouse before they left to do some volunteer work together on April 16, 2018. Until this point, Cori and Brian had primarily been texting, but this was the day they shared their first kiss, leading to further secret make-out sessions in her truck as well as sexting. However, as per the then-married woman, they never went too far despite trying because he couldn’t perform – she believes it was because he felt guilty since he was married too. Therefore, of course, when Amy Fanion was found shot to death with her husband’s duty weapon in the farmhouse they shared less than a month later, serious suspicions arose.
After Testifying at Brian Fanion’s Trial, Cori Has Preferred to Lead a Quiet Life
With all the evidence pointing to Brian as being responsible for his wife Amy’s sudden, unexpected demise, he was arrested on the charge of first-degree murder on November 6, 2019. He stood trial for the same in early 2023, during which one of the primary witnesses was none other than Cori – not only had the couple broken up by this point, but she had also divorced her husband, so she was no longer Cori Knowles but Cori Hasty. She made it clear to the jury that divorce was never an option for Brian if he wanted to start afresh because it would affect his social and financial standing, as Amy would likely get to walk away with their assets.
However, during her cross-examination, Cori also indicated that Brian never once spoke of harming his wife in any manner, nor did he try to stop her when she ended their relationship. The defense subsequently argued that if the ex-detective’s plan was to kill his wife to be with his lover, why would he be okay with her calling their connection quits. Yet, in the end, the jury believed the evidence against him was undeniable, so following two days of deliberations, they found him guilty as charged before he was handed a life term.
Since then, it appears as if Cori has chosen to remain well away from the limelight to protect not only her privacy but also that of her loved ones, considering she is a mother and grandmother. Yet, we do know that she currently resides in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where a sound support system and well-wishers surround her at almost every turn. As for her professional standing, from what we can tell, the proud family woman, devoted person of faith, and travel enthusiast presently serves as an Office Manager at the City of Pittsfield’s Department of Health and Inspection.
Read More: Brian Fanion: Where is Amy Fanion’s Husband and Killer Now?
