Carolyn Warmus was born on January 8, 1964, in Troy, Michigan. She grew up in Birmingham, a wealthy suburb of Detroit. Her father, Thomas A. Warmus, was a successful businessman who made millions in the insurance industry. He founded the American Way Life Insurance Company in Southfield, Michigan. By 1989, his wealth was estimated to be around $150 million, including eight jets, two yachts, several estates, and many luxury cars.

In 1970, when Carolyn was just eight years old, her parents divorced. Her mother, Elizabeth, won custody of Carolyn and her two younger siblings. This change in family life marked a significant moment in her childhood.

Carolyn was a good student throughout her school years. She excelled academically and was also active in sports, particularly basketball. In 1981, she graduated from Seaholm High School in Birmingham and went on to attend the University of Michigan. She earned a degree in psychology there.

After completing her undergraduate education, Carolyn moved to New York City. She attended Teachers College at Columbia University, where she earned a master's degree in elementary education. In September 1987, she began working as a teacher at Greenville Elementary School in Scarsdale, New York. It was at this school that she met Paul Solomon, a fifth-grade teacher, along with his family, including his wife and daughter.

On January 15, 1989, a woman called a New York Telephone operator in distress. The call ended abruptly, leading the operator to inform the police. When police responded, they could not locate the source of the call due to an incorrect address in the directory. Later that evening, at 11:42 p.m., Betty Jeanne Solomon's body was discovered in her family's Greenburgh condominium by her husband, Paul Solomon. She had been assaulted and shot nine times.

The investigation initially centered on Paul Solomon since he had been at a local bowling alley with friends and then spent the evening with Carolyn Warmus at a nearby Holiday Inn. Solomon's alibi was verified, prompting detectives to explore other leads. They learned that Warmus had purchased a .25 caliber Beretta pistol with a silencer shortly before the murder. Detective Richard Constantino tracked calls made from Warmus's phone and found that she had called a sporting goods store earlier that day, where ammunition was sold. Eventually, leads connected her to a co-worker who had lost her driver's license when Warmus was working with her.

On February 2, 1990, Warmus was indicted for second-degree murder and illegal gun possession. Her first trial started on January 14, 1991. Solomon testified in exchange for immunity, revealing details of his affair with Warmus and his request to end the relationship. The trial lasted almost three months but ended with a hung jury.

A second trial commenced in January 1992. New evidence was presented, including a bloody glove that was claimed to belong to Warmus. Despite challenges from the defense regarding the glove's evidence, the jury found Warmus guilty of murder and illegal possession of a weapon on May 27, 1992. She received a sentence of 25 years to life for the murder and an additional five to 15 years for the weapon charge.

Warmus served her sentence at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. During her time incarcerated, she faced disciplinary issues. Her first parole hearing occurred in January 2017, but she was denied. She faced a similar outcome in July 2018. However, Warmus was granted parole on June 17, 2019, after serving 27 years.

In connection to her time in prison, Warmus filed a lawsuit against the New York State Department of Correctional Services in 2004, claiming sexual abuse by guards. She settled the lawsuit in 2008 for $10,000. After her release, Warmus sought to clear her name and requested DNA testing on evidence from her case. The case gained significant media attention, leading to comparisons with the film "Fatal Attraction."