Helen L. Galli, whose name became synonymous with one of the most bizarre and disturbing family

Helen Galli, Center of Infamous 2010 Antifreeze Poisoning Case, Dies at 94

Helen L. Galli, whose name became synonymous with one of the most bizarre and disturbing family criminal cases in Luzerne County history, has died at the age of 94. Galli passed away on October 23 at Highland Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Exeter, according to her obituary posted by the Gubbiotti Funeral Home.

For more than a decade, Galli remained at the center of a protracted legal saga that began in 2010, when prosecutors accused her of lacing a container of Juicy Juice with antifreeze and giving it to her son’s girlfriend. The victim became seriously ill after drinking the beverage, though she ultimately survived the poisoning.

A Protracted Legal Battle and Overturned Conviction

The criminal proceedings against Galli moved slowly through the Pennsylvania court system over several years. Following a 2013 trial, a jury convicted her of aggravated assault, resulting in a 12-year prison sentence.

That conviction did not stand. An appellate court later overturned the verdict, ruling that improper hearsay testimony had been admitted during the trial. Galli walked out of prison on bail in August 2016 after spending nearly 1,000 days behind bars.

As the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office prepared to mount a retrial, the case reached a legal resolution in March 2018. Galli entered a no-contest plea to the charges. A judge sentenced her to time served alongside nine months of house arrest.

Earlier Familial Plot and Final Years

The 2010 antifreeze incident marked the second time authorities accused Galli of attempting to harm the romantic partner of one of her children. Back in 1990, investigators charged her in connection with a plot to burn down the home of another son’s wife and her parents. Court records showed that Galli recruited her own juvenile grandchildren to set the fire.

Helen L. Galli, whose name became synonymous with one of the most bizarre and disturbing family — Photo: citizensvoice.com

For her role in the 1990 arson plot, she received a sentence of four years of house arrest and 10 years of probation.

Outside of her legal history, Galli spent her working years employed in the regional garment industry and maintained personal interests in gardening and cooking, according to her obituary. She is survived by one son, six grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Galli are private.