THOMASVILLE, GA – A Georgia woman was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after being found guilty of murdering her husband with antifreeze.
Torrii Federick, 45, was convicted of malice murder in connection to the death of her husband, Phil Federick, 40, who passed away on September 5, 2021. She was apprehended over a year after the incident, in November 2022.
Investigators determined that Phil Federick’s death resulted from poisoning by ethylene glycol, a substance commonly found in antifreeze. Testimony during the trial revealed that shortly before his passing, Torrii prepared a drink exclusively for him.
Their children, Phil’Nesia and Phil Federick Jr., both teenagers at the time of their father’s death, initially provided statements to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) that suggested they had doubts about their mother’s innocence. However, they later testified in her defense.
Phil’Nesia, now 20, had inconsistencies in her recounting of the events surrounding her father’s health prior to his death. She also stated she didn’t remember reaching out to investigators a year after her father’s passing to provide more information.
Phil Federick Jr.’s initial account mentioned that his mother prepared a drink for his father in a sports bottle, which he consumed the night he fell ill. Yet, in court, he argued that his earlier statements were influenced by anger towards his mother for dating someone new shortly after the tragedy. At 14, he claimed he only told investigators what he believed they wanted to hear and never actually witnessed the drink being prepared.
During the trial, Torrii’s defense attorney, Karla Walker, contended that Phil had been isolated and was wearing a mask the day he became ill, suggesting that he may have ingested the antifreeze voluntarily to end his life.
Authorities became suspicious of ethylene glycol poisoning when Phil was hospitalized, leading to law enforcement involvement. He died a week after being admitted. The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office concluded a two-year investigation affirming that Torrii had administered the fatal drink to her husband.
The jury concluded deliberations on March 27, convicting Torrii of the murder, resulting in her life sentence.