Man Gets Life Term for Poisoning Wife

A man who killed his wife by adding antifreeze to her soft drinks was sentenced in Perry to life in prison. Dennis Lee Hellar, 53, took eight months to kill his wife, Carol. By the time doctors realized why she was sick, it was too late. She died June 12, 1995, a day before her first wedding anniversary. Prosecutors claimed Hellar hatched his plot because he had a girlfriend and wanted his wife’s Social Security income. Hellar pleaded guilty in February to manslaughter. A plea bargain permits him to eventually become eligible for parole. Antifreeze causes the kidneys to shut down and has a sweet taste that is not easily detected in a soft drink.