SALEM, Mass. (Court TV) — The “other woman” took the stand in a Massachusetts murder trial on Monday, sharing the unusual nickname she gave her romantic rival.
Judy Church appears in court during her murder trial. (Court TV)
Judy Church, 67, is charged with the murder of her boyfriend, Leroy Fowler, who prosecutors say was poisoned with antifreeze on Nov. 11, 2022. Church has pleaded not guilty.
At the time of his death, Fowler was dating not only Church but also another woman, named Barbara Randall. Randall took the stand on Monday and talked about her relationship with the victim, which she described as “off and on.”
Randall said she became aware of Church approximately six months into her eight-year relationship with the victim. While the two women never had any direct contact, Randall admitted that she had a nickname for the woman.
Prosecutor Jessica Strasnick: “What was the nickname you had for [Church]?”
Randall: “Grandma.”
Strasnick: “Why did you call her grandma?”
Randall: “Because she looked like one.”
Randall, 64, said that she and Church wanted nothing to do with one another. Randall recounted that after seeing her ride on the back of Fowler’s black motorcycle, Church grew so jealous that she bought Fowler a white motorcycle so that she wouldn’t have to share a seat with Randall.
Barbara Randall testifies in Judy Church’s murder trial on March 23, 2026. (Court TV)
Fowler played into the women’s feud, prosecutors said, and fueled the fire by passing information about the women back and forth. Randall said she was aware that Church had created a voodoo doll, using a sock, that said “Barb” on it. For her part, Randall insisted that Fowler remove a tattoo of Judy on his chest.
But Randall denied having any longterm animosity for her romantic rival. She said that by the end of Fowler’s life, she was ready to move on. “I felt bad for [Church],” Randall testified. “I thought it was pathetic, what was going on.”
Prosecutors showed the jury a text message Church sent to Randall months before Fowler’s death saying, “He’s playing us both with lies upon lies…He’s a coward! Plain and simple and it’s time we BOTH toss him out! If you are unwilling I completely understand! He’s got you snowed! Me no more! Buy (sic) you will eventually! Did he tell you he loved you more than anyone ever??? Hmmm! He only loves himself!”
Church’s attorney has maintained that while his client may be “a bit of a fool,” she’s not a killer.
