Shivangi Sinha
In July 2015, the sudden illness and death of Mary Yoder, a successful chiropractor from New York, shocked her family. An autopsy later revealed that she had been poisoned and it prompted an investigation. Initially, the police focused on those close to Mary. However, after receiving an anonymous letter, their attention turned to Katie Conley, a former employee at Mary’s office and the ex-girlfriend of her son. She was charged with the murder, though she consistently maintained her innocence. The case and its eventual outcome are explored in NBC’s episode of ‘Dateline’ titled ‘Poison Twist.’
Katie Conley Became a Suspect After She Admitted to Writing an Anonymous Letter
Kaitlyn “Katie” Conley grew up as one of seven sisters in Sauquoit, New York. She was always surrounded by a supportive circle of friends and family who valued her deeply. Her father, a former Army Major, instilled principles of hard work and discipline in their household, which Katie embraced throughout her life. She excelled academically, graduated in the top ten percent of her class at Sauquoit High School, and was also an avid tennis player. It was at a high school graduation party that she first met Adam Yoder. They began a relationship, though many have alleged that it was turbulent and far from peaceful.
Katie attended Mohawk Valley Community College, where she studied liberal arts. Later, she took classes at both Utica College and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. In 2011, she began working as an office manager at Chiropractic Family Care on Oriskany Boulevard in Whitesboro, New York, which was operated by Adam’s parents. In a later interview, she reflected on the early stages of her relationship with Adam and described the first year as positive but alleged that he eventually changed and that she became fearful of him. Their relationship remained tumultuous, marked by periods of breaking up and reconciling over the following years.
On July 22, 2015, Adam’s mother, Mary Yoder, died from poisoning caused by Colchicine, an anti-gout drug. Initially, the police investigated her husband, William “Bill” Yoder, as well as Adam, but they didn’t uncover any conclusive evidence. In November 2015, authorities received an anonymous letter claiming that a container of Colchicine could be found under the passenger seat of Adam’s jeep. However, the latter had a strong alibi, which led investigators to suspect that the author of the letter might have more information. As they continued their inquiries into him, they questioned Katie, who eventually admitted that she was the one who had written the letter.
Evidence Recovered From Katie’s Phone Led to Her Conviction in the Second Trial
The police obtained a search warrant to seize Katie Conley’s phone and claimed that the Colchicine had been purchased using a prepaid debit card registered in her name. They also claimed to have found her DNA on the wrapper of the container recovered from Adam Yoder’s car. In May 2016, Katie was charged with second-degree murder, and her trial began in April 2017. During the proceedings, the prosecution argued that she may have had two possible motives for committing the crime: seeking revenge against Adam or causing a disruptive event in his life to draw him back to her. The trial concluded with a hung jury, leading to a second trial in November 2017.
During the second trial, Adam testified that in August 2015, Katie had backed up her phone to his computer. The police subsequently discovered her search history and screenshots of articles about various fatal poisons and their effects. On November 6, 2017, she was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter. A few months later, in January 2018, she was sentenced to 23 years. Katie was incarcerated in the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York. However, her defense team continued to file appeals, and many people rallied beside her. Her family also started a website and social media pages under the name of Free Katie Conley and championed her innocence. In May 2024, the State Appellate Division in Rochester granted permission to present an appeal and offered a renewed sense of hope for Katie’s case.
Katie Conley is a Free Woman Today
In January 2025, Katie’s appeal was granted on the grounds of ineffective counsel in her previous trials. The court determined that the search warrant used to seize her phone did not authorize a search of its contents, making the evidence obtained from it inadmissible. Since this evidence was deemed crucial to proving her guilt, the court ruled that it should not have been presented in the first place. On February 4, Katie was officially released from prison. Despite the prosecution’s attempt to keep her in custody for a potential third indictment, the judge allowed her release. Since then, Katie has maintained a low profile and has not made any public statements.
Read More: William and Adam Yonder: Where Are Mary’s Husband and Kids Now?
