A man who poisoned his wife has been a fugitive for over 25 years.
CASE DETAILS In March of 1967, after five years of emotional and physical abuse, 27-year-old June Maloney of Rochester, New York, finally walked out on her husband, Joe Maloney. ![]() What Joe Maloney may look like today Joe and June agreed to an informal separation. June took custody of their two young children and Joe was allowed to visit whenever he wanted. Family friend Neal Dunkleberg remembers their relationship problems:
Several weeks after June moved out, Joe paid Neal Dunkleberg a visit. Neal experimented with chemistry as a hobby and had a lab in the basement of his mother’s home. Joe came to him with an usual request:
![]() June lapsed into a coma and died Joe showed interest in one particular chemical: a clear liquid which is odorless, tasteless, and lethal. Neal Dunkelberg:
![]() Maloney got out of prison on a technicality Two weeks later, June arrived at Joe Maloney’s house for their son’s fifth birthday party. He offered her a drink and she stayed for about two hours. While at the party, June phoned her friend Wanda Mordenga:
The next morning, Wanda was surprised to find Joe and a doctor in the hall outside of June’s apartment:
June told Wanda the doctor thought it was food poisoning, but June thought it was something else. According to Wanda:
The next day, June lapsed into a coma and was immediately hospitalized. Despite a series of tests, doctors found no cause for her rapid decline. Joe Maloney seemed unconcerned about his wife’s condition. He suggested that she might have tried to commit suicide over their separation, an idea Wanda Mordenga discredited:
![]() Joe poisoned his ex-wife’s drink June never regained consciousness and died on June 5, 1967. Her autopsy revealed that she had ingested a lethal dose of the same type of chemical that Joe had taken from Neal’s lab. Four hours after his wife’s death, Joe Maloney was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Maloney asked to be committed to the Rochester State Mental Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The court granted his request. What the judge didn’t know was that Maloney had once worked at the hospital and was familiar with the layout. Less than two weeks after being admitted, Maloney escaped and disappeared. Five years later and more than 3,000 miles away in Dublin, Ireland, authorities were called to investigate a burglary at the home of a Mr. Michael O’Shea. Monroe County, New York, District Attorney’s Officer Wendy Evans Lehmann:
O’Shea allowed them to take his fingerprints and they were promptly sent to Interpol. Michael O’Shea’s fingerprints matched Joseph Maloney’s. But Maloney couldn’t be arrested because Ireland and the United States had no extradition agreement. In 1986, that law was changed. Maloney was finally taken into custody, still denying his true identity. While in jail, Maloney refused to cooperate with the authorities and did not allow himself to be photographed. Two years after his arrest, the Irish-American extradition treaty was voided because of a legal technicality. Maloney walked out of prison and disappeared, perhaps forever. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season four with Robert Stack and in season seven with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. SUBMIT A TIP |
Miranda shortt
What a jerk
brittnee
Wow, a lot of time has passed but I do hope he is one day caught. that’s so cruel what he did.
George
This man lives in Scottsdale Az
Unsolved Mysteries Post author
George, can you please send us some additional information through the tip form (https://unsolved.com/tips/), the app, or by email (unsolved@unsolved.com)? Thank you.
Mimi
I called in a tip once. It was in 2012 I think. I had just watched the program then decided to go out for a cup of coffee at the local cafe. I heard someone speaking English so I stuck a conversation with him. He told me his name was Michel from Ireland. BUT he had an American accent. I found that odd, but didn’t say anything. I told him where I was from. A town not far from Rochester NY. The man then looked uncomfortable then said he had a brother who lived not far from there. I immediately knew it was him.
I left messages with crime watch but got no answer. Then I called the FBI. They thought I was a joke when I said I saw him on unsolved mysteries. But I knew. I had other details to share but no one ever got back with me.
Liam
Hi Mimi,
We’re currently making a podcast series on Joe Maloney called Runaway Joe. We’d love to make contact with you. Could you email us documentaries@rte.ie Thank you, Liam
Veritas
I agree with Erick that maybe he is not alive now but he could have gone to work for Aer Lingus (Irish Airlines) as a “rampie”, then gone — either transferring within the airline’s operations in other countries or on an ID90.
Joanna rivera
I swear I seen this man in harlingen TX.he was working at the carnival Doing the piggy ride for kids.i actually confronted him about it and accused him and he told me I better watch what u do
Toni
No he has not been caught to this day!
S.m
He’s 81 if alive.. But I dolt think he is. He spent some time before voided. And finger prints don’t lie. They had him. Maybe someone was informed. And did something bad to him. Think about it he ran. But to where? He was hiding in plan sight.
Erick
Did they ever catch him?
In this day in age it’s almost impossible to get away with murder, and he’s been missing for 29 years now? I personally don’t think he’s alive, but stranger things have happened.