She Took Her Paralyzed Son Out in a Canoe and Flipped It — and That Was Just One of Her Family Murders

In 1971, aft a circuit of work successful South Vietnam, Air Force Sgt. James Goodyear began emotion sick soon aft he returned to his Orlando, Fla., home. On Sept. 13 of that year, aft vomiting owed to tummy pains, he went to a naval hospital, per nan Associated Press.

His information deteriorated, and 3 days later, he died of cardiovascular illness and renal failure, leaving his 28-year-old woman Judy, past a mother of 3 children, a widow.

In nan years pursuing Goodyear’s death, Judy who subsequently changed her past sanction to Buenoano, settled successful Colorado successful 1977 pinch her fellow Bobby Joe Morris, according to nan Florida Sheriff's Association. But not agelong after, Morris began showing nan aforesaid symptoms arsenic Goodyear, and died nan pursuing year, connected Jan. 28, 1978.

Another calamity soon followed: Buenoano’s partially paralyzed son, Michael, drowned connected May 13, 1980, aft a canoe they were successful capsized successful Florida, CBS News reported.

Buenoano soon recovered comfortableness successful nan arms of businessman John Gentry.  However, Gentry’s wellness soon began to deteriorate arsenic well, and he was temporarily hospitalized because of nausea and vomiting. He landed successful nan infirmary again successful 1983 aft a explosive planted successful his car exploded extracurricular a Pensacola restaurant, per nan AP.

The explosive blast triggered an investigation into Buenoano — and authorities soon discovered she had antecedently tried to poison Gentry pinch nan disinfecting supplier paraformaldehyde to cod a $500,000 life security policy, per nan AP.

Other rule enforcement agencies took statement of nan unusual deaths linked to Buenoano — and nan payouts she received aft their deaths. She collected astir $28,000 from a life security argumentation and much than $80,000 from nan veteran’s management aft Goodyear’s decease successful 1971, arsenic good arsenic $77,000 successful security money aft Morris died and much than $100,000 aft nan decease of Michael successful 1980, nan AP reported.

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Authorities exhumed nan assemblage of Goodyear successful 1984 and discovered he had died from lethal amounts of arsenic poison, nan AP reported. 

Authorities besides concluded that Morris and Michael besides had been poisoned, and that he had been pushed retired of nan canoe. As Buenoano's lawsuit became widely-known, she was dubbed "The Black Widow" successful nan media.

Buenoano was sentenced to 12 years successful situation for nan attempted execution of Gentry successful 1984. That aforesaid year, she received a life condemnation for Michael's murder, according to CBS News.

In 1985, Buenoano was sentenced to decease for nan first-degree execution of Goodyear.

On March 30, 1998, nan 54-year-old grandmother, who astatine 1 constituent had owned a salon, was executed via nan electrical chair and became nan first female put to decease successful Florida since 1848, per CBS News. 

Buenoano's grandson Alex Hawkins tells PEOPLE that Buenoano was cremated and immoderate of her ashes were scattered successful nan Blue Ridge Mountains. Her remaining ashes were kept successful an urn and buried nether a gardenia bush wherever he later lived.

"When she was buried, we had a manufactured location connected nan property," Hawkins says. "And past Hurricane Ivan came done and erstwhile Ivan hit, we rebuilt our house. And erstwhile we rebuilt, nan nonstop spot wherever Judy's urn was correct nether my bedroom. I had grandma pinch me, and grandma was ever watching. She was nether maine basically."

Hawkins, 23, is presently moving connected a documentary astir his grandmother's lawsuit and wants group to support an unfastened mind astir her life and crimes.

"I americium not trying to sugarcoat this documentary," he says. "I'm not trying to opportunity that she didn't do each these things. She did each these unspeakable things, but astatine nan aforesaid time, she besides helped nan organization retired astatine ample successful her area of Pensacola. Everybody knew her successful nan organization arsenic this really bully philanthropic woman.

"I conscionable want group to cognize that yes, she did what she did, but astatine nan aforesaid time, besides look astatine not conscionable her being a killer, look astatine her and nan group that person been straight affected by her."

If you are experiencing home violence, telephone nan National Domestic Violence Hotline astatine 1-800-799-7233, aliases spell to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is disposable 24/7 successful much than 170 languages.