Marie Poling dies in prison for fatal Trumbull County 1988 shooting

Marie Poling dies in prison for fatal Trumbull County 1988 shooting

Fatal Trumbull County shooting death of Marie Poling’s husband Richard Poling – Obituary

Marie Poling, 66, passed away in prison where she was serving a life sentence for the 1988 murder of her husband, Richard Poling. She died on May 20 at the Marysville Reformatory for Women ahead of a scheduled parole hearing.

Poling was convicted of killing Richard Poling, who was shot in the head while sleeping on the couch inside their home. According to Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, Poling enlisted her lover’s help to dispose of the body, including severing Richard’s head and moving the remains near Washington, Pennsylvania.

Watkins, who prosecuted the case in 1988, described Poling as “cold-blooded” and said he opposed her release at multiple parole hearings over the years. Poling was set to appear before the parole board again in August.

No official cause of death has been released.