Raymond ‘Ray’ Kotomski, Teresa Kotomski: ID’s Betrayed Tackles ‘Something Sweet’ In Ohio Death Case

Raymond “Ray” Kotomski, a retired corrections officer who allegedly died from ethylene glycol toxicity, makes the case for the next TV crime show on ID. Ray Kotomski’s case was also aired on an episode of Dateline titled, “Something Sweet.” Tonight, Investigation Discovery’s Betrayed will reenact the case in the episode titled, “Bad Blood,” which will delve into the story of a former corrections officer who is enjoying his retirement, but when he brings home a new wife, his new life is anything but a retired man’s dream.

Raymond Kotomski, Teresa Kotomski: ‘Dateline NBC’ Presents Case Of Former Corrections Offi… https://t.co/L00PgCcORZ pic.twitter.com/RwmG83Ij1i

— Mireya Cova (@Mireya_Cova) November 28, 2015

The Daily Mail reported that Ray Kotomski died in 2009. The medical examiner stated that his death was caused by “complications of ethylene glycol toxicity.” It was alleged that Ray Kotomski became ill after drinking something sweet. The last person to see him alive, according to the prosecution, was his wife, Teressa Kotomski.

During the death investigation, police learned that before Ray Kotomski died, he was living alone in the rural section of Pennsylvania, where he enjoyed a life of retirement after years of working as a corrections officer. He was also divorced from his first wife of 36 years. Though he seemed to be happy living alone, he did want female companionship, which he found on a dating website. According to Dateline’s coverage, Ray Kotomski’s daughter was skeptical about him using a dating site since it could put him into contact with someone who could end up ruining his life.

Police learned that Ray Kotomski met his wife, Teresa, on an online dating site. At the time, Teresa seemed like the perfect woman for him. She had a nice appearance, and she was a nurse’s assistant. However, what Ray Kotomski believed would be an amazing life, turned into a stressful living condition for him in the end. Prosecutors say that after Ray Kotomski married Teresa, their lives changed drastically after she had to care for her deceased daughter’s young children, which put Ray Kotomski back into the role of father and caretaker, a role that he gladly accepted, but it did take a toll on him.

Dateline’s coverage also alleged that Ray Kotomski began drinking heavily and had become angrier as the days passed. When he died, some wondered if it could have been a possible suicide. Police detectives also had to sort through a list of suspects since Ray Kotomski had worked as a corrections officer, a job that would most likely gain him many enemies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2eshmoVG7Y

The case went cold for years, but in the end, police began building a case against his wife Teresa, especially after the medical examiner found ethylene glycol in his system. Ethylene glycol is a poisonous substance that is found in antifreeze.

Teresa Kotomski was arrested and charged and convicted in the death of her husband. However, the trial ended with a split decision. The Star Beacon sums up her conviction this way.

“Kotomski was convicted of murder in July for her husband’s 2009 poisoning death, but acquitted on a charge that she contaminated something he ate or drank with a fatal dose of antifreeze.”

An attorney for Teresa Kotomski, Mary Jane Trapp, disagreed with the split ruling, the Star Beacon further stated.

“It’s the interplay between the two statutes, the two charges — the general murder charge and then the very specific charge of contaminating a substance for human consumption. When you have an acquittal on one and a conviction on the other, you really do have to step back and say, ‘What did the state have to prove here? If they couldn’t prove the contamination, how in the world can you prove the murder charge? To be convicted of murder in the state, they have to prove… it was your intent to do an act that caused a death — that causal link is what we feel was missing in this case.”

You surround yourself with people you can trust…or, so you think. #Betrayed premieres next. pic.twitter.com/q1jOTbYfV5

— Investigation Discovery (@DiscoveryID) August 25, 2016

Teresa Kotomski, who has always denied killing her husband, has been trying to gain a new trial since her conviction. The Ohio Department of Corrections’ website states that she is serving a sentence of 15 years to life with eligibility for parole in June 2030.

Betrayed’s story will be told through dramatic recreations and interviews with law enforcement officials. You won’t want to miss ID’s coverage of the Ray Kotomski case. It will air tonight at 9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery.

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