Viswa Vanapalli
Stacy Feldman was pronounced dead at her home in Denver, Colorado, in March 2015. However, the investigation into the 44-year-old’s death went on for years before a resolution was found. NBC News’ ‘Dateline: The Sisterhood’ focuses on the differing opinions regarding what happened to Stacy and why her husband, Robert Feldman, was viewed as the suspect. So, if you’re curious to find out more about what happened, we’ve got you covered.
How Did Stacy Feldman Die?
Stacy Feldman had been living in Denver, Colorado, at the time of the incident. She married Robert Feldman in Montreal, Canada, in 2005, and they had a son and a daughter together. The 44-year-old was a prominent member of the community; she worked for a nonprofit organization that aids in searching for a cure for a liver condition, in addition to being the President of the parent-teacher organization at Southmoor Elementary School in Denver.
Sometime in the early evening of March 1, 2015, Robert called 911 to report that he found his wife unresponsive in the bathtub. First responders arrived but pronounced her dead soon after that. At the time, an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner revealed that Stacy had injuries, but those could have been a result of trying to resuscitate her.
While the doctor stated that drowning could not be excluded, the cause and manner of death were ruled undetermined. However, in 2017, another doctor who went through the autopsy reports stated that Stacy’s injuries resulted from an assault and were inconsistent with revival efforts. He opined that she was suffocated or strangled and also suffered blunt force trauma.
Who Killed Stacy Feldman?
Robert Feldman initially told the police that he returned home from a workout to find Stacy unresponsive in the bathroom, leading him to call 911. But a few months later, Robert changed his statement, saying he came home sometime around noon but didn’t see his wife before leaving. The case didn’t see any updates until the police heard from Susan McBride in June 2015.
Susan told the police that she had met Robert, who was using a different name, on Tinder, in February 2015. He had said to her that he was separated from his wife. Susan revealed that the two had sex during their second meeting. However, she suspected Robert was lying and later found Stacy’s email address. This led to Susan emailing Stacy on the morning of March 1, 2015, to check if they were separated.
According to Susan, Stacy confirmed that she and Robert were not separated. Susan also said that Robert had cheated on her before and that she was “done with him.” This was only hours before Robert called 911 after claiming to find his wife unresponsive in the bathroom. Then, in December 2017, the authorities brought in outside help to take a second look at Stacy’s cause and manner of death.
The doctor, William “Bill” Smock, later testified that injuries on Stacy’s upper extremities were consistent with “knee pressure being applied from a straddled assailant.” The doctor believed that she died from suffocation or strangulation, or a combination of both of them. Furthermore, he stated that Stacy was clothed at some point when she was attacked and had a watch on her wrist. These were at odds with Robert’s claims that she died while in the shower after slipping and falling in the tub.
The authorities believed that Robert killed Stacy after she found out about his affair. While he was arrested in February 2018, there were several delays before the case was brought to trial. The prosecution had Dr. Bill Smock testify and added there was blood under one of Stacy’s fingernails that matched Robert’s DNA. He had also collected her life insurance during the time after her death.
Robert eventually went to trial in April 2022. Susan McBride’s testimony was crucial for the prosecution at the time. Furthermore, it was reported that Robert had tried to have relationships with at least five other women during the time after his wife’s death. One of them, Stephanie Schumaker, accused him of sexual assault as well. In the end, Robert was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sent to prison for life, bringing the curtain down on a tragic case that ultimately left two children without their parents.
Read More: Where is Robert Feldman Now?
