When the film “Fatal Attraction” was released in 1987, it sent a chill down the spines of many unfaithful married men throughout the country. It tells the story of a seemingly happily married man who gets suckered into having an affair with a woman who turns out to be psychotic. When the man tries to break off the affair, she threatens his family and attempts to kill him.

Evidently the film didn't have an affect on Paul Solomon, an elementary school teacher, who had a reputation for cheating on his wife with a handful of women in the 1980s. Carolyn Warmus was one of those women.

In 1964, Carolyn was born in the Michigan town of Troy and spent her teen years going to school in Birmingham. She graduated from Seaholm High School and enrolled in the University of Michigan. After college graduation, she moved to New York, got her Masters in elementary education and in 1987 began teaching at Greenville Elementary School in Scarsdale. Another faculty member was Paul Solomon, 17 years older than Carolyn.

Paul won her over and a sexual affair began. Over a year later, on January 15, 1989, Paul's wife, Betty Jeanne, was pistol-whipped, shot nine times, and left dead on the floor of the Solomon's condominium. When the police investigation turned toward Solomon, he had no choice but admit his affair, stating he was out with Carolyn that evening.

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Trying to distance himself, Solomon broke it off with Carolyn and started seeing another co-worker, Barbara Ballor. Carolyn began stalking the two lovers and even calling Ballor's family in an attempt to break them up. Evidently, Carolyn used a former co-worker's identity to obtain a gun; when this was discovered, it was enough for an arrest.

The first trial took place in January 1991.
After the second trial almost a year and a half later, the jury found Carolyn guilty of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. After the verdict, Carolyn finally spoke up for the first time saying "I can only ask for leniency because I'm innocent. If I'm guilty of anything at all it was simply being foolish enough to believe the lies and promises that Paul Solomon made to me".

As the years went by, a public misconception grew that the film “Fatal Attraction” was based on the Carolyn Warmus case...when in fact, one might say the Carolyn Warmus case was actually 'based on the film'. The film came first (1987), the murder came afterward (1989).

Carolyn was granted parole on June 17, 2019 but has not yet been released..

As for Paul Solomon, in September 1991, he was stripped of his teaching duties and was eventually removed in a mutual agreement with the school board and principal.

A Michigan Woman's 'Fatal Attraction'

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