Her milkshake brought all the boys to the...graveyard.
KILLER DRINK!
White Spot is a popular family dining chain with more than 60 locations across western Canada. For more than 80 years, the chain has served up signature burgers (with secret “Triple-O Sauce” of mayonnaise and hamburger relish), hand-cut fries, and triple-thick shakes. Many love the creamy shakes, and they were a favorite of Esther Castellani, the wife of Rene Castellani, a radio promotional manager in Vancouver.
In the early 1960s, Rene was working for CKNW. He was known for his outrageous publicity stunts. To help the BowMac car dealership sell more automobiles, Rene stayed perched on top of the 10-story BowMac sign for eight days. He vowed not to leave the top of the sign until every car was sold. (The sign, which is still standing on West Broadway, is a Vancouver landmark.) Rene also started a rumor that a maharaja wanted to buy British Columbia. He also once posed as an Indian prince and drove around town in a limousine with bodyguards and dancing girls.
APPEARANCES ARE DECEIVING
Between pulling crazy stunts, he made time to be a devoted husband. He brought his wife of 19 years a daily treat of a vanilla White Spot milkshake. Esther Castellani, who was busy as a saleswoman at a clothing store, appreciated the thoughtful treats from her husband.
Oddly enough, in 1965 Esther’s health began to fail with each shake that she drank. She started to get stomach and lower back pain that kept her out of work. Around this time, she found a love letter in Rene’s pocket and confronted him about it. But Esther’s health was the bigger concern. She began to have bouts of nausea, diarrhea, and intense vomiting. Her fingers and toes went numb. She couldn’t walk or use her hands.
For two months, Esther was hospitalized as doctors puzzled over her condition. Some suspected gall bladder issues or poor diet (such as milkshakes) as the culprit. But they couldn’t find the answer or cure. In August of 1965 Esther died at age 40, leaving behind her husband and their 12-year-old daughter.
It turns out that the love letter Esther found was a sign of Rene’s infidelity. He was carrying on an affair with a strawberry-blonde receptionist at the radio station. He intended to marry her. But to do so, he needed Esther out of the way. Instead of asking for a divorce, Rene opted for murder. And he might have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for an intern at the medical examiner’s office who suggested an autopsy be performed.
The autopsy revealed that Esther had 1,500 times the normal level of arsenic in her body. The medical examiners determined that she was ingesting it for more than six months—including while she was in the hospital. Where was she getting it? Those daily milkshake deliveries from her husband.
A HAIRY SITUATION
Police made a search of the Castellani home and found Triox weed killer beneath the kitchen sink. It was missing the exact amount of poison that was estimated to have been in Esther’s body. Esther’s hair held more evidence. Strands had arsenic in them and were used to provide a timeline of when she was being poisoned. Scientists could chart the amount of arsenic Esther consumed each day from a strand of her long black hair. Curiously, the hair revealed that during the eight days that Rene was on top of the BowMac sign—when the milkshake deliveries were interrupted—there was no sign of poison in her system.
About three months after the murder, Rene applied for a license to marry the receptionist. Two days later, the police arrested him. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. However, he was released after 12 years, and both Rene and his mistress wound up marrying other people.
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