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In February 2009, Dar Foley's case made headlines when the Union City School teacher and married mother-of-one was found dead in the shower of her Michigan home. Her husband Tom was attending a party with their 10-year-old son at the time and reportedly discovered the crime scene after returning home. Not long after, Dar's husband Tom was arrested and charged with murder.
Authorities suspected he murdered Dar for life insurance money and also because of their crumbling marriage. He was found guilty that same year but was exonerated from all charges in a new trial after witness testimony revealed that a mysterious white car was spotted near Tom and Dar's house at the time of the murder.
Dar Foley's shooting death is set to feature on Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered this Tuesday, March 24, 2023. The episode titled Mystery at Heath Bar Farm will air on the channel at 8 pm ET, and the synopsis for the same reads:
"A popular teacher is savagely murdered in her home; there is an arrest, a trial, and a conviction, but when a bombshell comes in after the verdict, the convicted murderer is given a chance at freedom."
Dar Foley's murder: Five key things to know about the Union City School teacher's shooting death in Coldwater
1) Foley's body was found by her husband in the shower
Dar Foley was scheduled to attend a birthday party with her husband, Tom, and their son, Heath, on February 7, 2009, near their Coldwater, Michigan farm. However, Tom left early with Heath and one of his friends and waited for Dar's arrival at the venue, but she never came. He returned home and found her dead in the shower with a gunshot wound to the head.
2) Dar Foley was shot at point-blank range
A forensic analyst said that 41-year-old Dar Foley, 41, was shot at point-blank range with a shotgun. The gun was placed about six inches from her head when it was fired.
At the crime scene, authorities found that some parts of the house were ransacked and that Dar's credit cards and a few more items were missing. However, they also discovered that other expensive belongings and electronics remained untouched. The missing cards were later found at a gas station.
3) Tom Foley was considered a suspect since the beginning of the murder investigation
Authorities stated that Dar Foley's husband Tom was declared a suspect since the initial stages of the investigation. They especially suspected him after he told the police that he turned off the shower after finding the crime scene. However, investigators, who first arrived at the scene, reported that the shower area was dry at the time.
Further tests also found traces of the victim's blood on Tom's clothing, but failed to find any other evidence, such as gunpowder on him or his clothing. The forensic analyst also revealed that the blood was not from a blood splatter but likely got there when the suspect came into contact with blood.
4) The couple's failing marriage and the insurance policies were considered the murder motives
Reports state that Tom had romantic feelings for a woman who was also a teacher at Union City School, where his wife had taught for 19 years. The couple's marriage had taken a rocky turn and was at its crumbling stages. The investigation also revealed that the husband was to receive $280,000 in life insurance after Dar's death.
5) Tom Foley was found guilty in the case, but was later acquitted of all charges
On November 27 of that same year, Tom Foley was found guilty of murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. He was given a life sentence. However, within a week, his lawyer filed a motion for a new trial. The attorney asserted that new witnesses had come forward with information that wasn't disclosed in the previous trial.
According to witnesses, a mysterious white car was spotted parked (by one witness) and coming out of (by another witness) Foley's driveway around the time of the murder.
Tom was granted a re-trial after this new information surfaced. In July 2011, a jury acquitted him of all charges based on this new information that proved crucial to the case. He was then released from prison.
Tune in to Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Oxygen this Tuesday at 8 pm to learn more about Dar Foley's case.
