3 key details about Carol Kopenkoskey's trial for husband's murder

In 2014, Carol Kopenkoskey was charged with the murder of her husband of forty years, Lyle. After finding Lyle's bloodied and bullet-riddled body was found next to his car in an isolated area along Kiebel Road in 2012, authorities learned of the twisted plan behind his death.

Although Carol initially faced first-degree murder charges, she entered a guilty plea in 2013 in exchange for a reduced sentence for a second-degree murder charge. Meanwhile, John Ernst, the man she was having a long-term affair with, also pleaded guilty to perjury charges and to having acted as an accomplice in the murder.

ID's Black Widows: Kiss, Marry, Kill will revisit Lyle's murder, Carol Kopenkoskey's sentencing and everything that led to the murder. The episode will air on ID on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 9 pm ET.

Here are three details about the case that one must know.

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Three essential details from Carol Kopenkoskey's trial from husband Lyle's murder

1) Carol Kopenkoskey pleaded guilty after a witness testimony painted her guilty

As soon as detectives discovered incriminating evidence at Carol Kopenkoskey's home, she was named a person of interest in the investigation. She was accused of first-degree murder and could have received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the chance of parole.

However, right before the trial, the defendant accepted a plea agreement in return for a lesser charge of second-degree murder. The plea agreement was reached after an unexpected witness testified and said that Carol had sought to hire a hitman a month before her husband's death.

As part of the plea agreement, Kopenkoskey consented to a sentence of 18 to 35 years in jail.

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2) Kopenkoskey admitted to murdering her husband of 40 years

Upon entering a plea, Carol Kopenkoskey confessed to killing her husband on the morning of October 2, 2012. She said that she drove her husband to Kiebel Road in Resort Township early in the morning and shot him five times. Kopenkoskey claimed that she shot him "with the intention of killing him."

After killing her husband, Carol met John Ernst, who helped her get rid of the murder weapon. She claimed that Ernst threw the unregistered .38 pistol off a bridge.

Kopenkoskey admitted to killing her husband, whose body was found the next day with multiple gunshot wounds.

During the hearing, Kopenkoskey said:

"I still don’t know what came over me, that made me snap and do such an evil thing."

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3) Carol Kopenkoskey received the minimum sentence and is eligible for parole

During her sentencing, the judge stated that considering Carol Kopenkoskey's age, a minimum term of 18 years was unlikely to be an appropriate penalty for the charge. The penalty is affected by Kopenkoskey's age.

According to the judge, the minimum punishment must not be more than the defendant's probable life span since first-degree murder is the only crime that carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole in Michigan. In this situation, Kopenkoskey would first be qualified for parole at age 78.

The court also pointed out that despite the minimum term, Kopenkoskey is not necessarily going to be released on parole after serving 18 years. The judge reportedly said that Carol will have to convince the parole board with her actions throughout her 18 years in prison.

The judge added that Carol's actions were cruel and heartless and those of a "brutal and cold-blooded killer."

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Black Widows: Kiss, Marry, Kill airs on Investigation Discovery on September 22, 2022, at 9 pm ET.