Elizabeth Collins Stoddard is a character from the American gothic soap opera Dark Shadows (1966-1971). Born into the wealthy Collins family, Elizabeth eventually married an avaricious man named Paul Stoddard and had a daughter with him named Carolyn. (It is possible that she also had an older, illegitimate daughter - Victoria Winters - but this is never confirmed.) One night, as Paul was planning to permanently leave Collinwood, Liz attempted to stop him, or at least to keep him from taking the money that rightfully belonged to Carolyn. When Paul stated that he'd never cared about Carolyn, Liz became angry - and, in the heat of the moment, hit him over the head with a fireplace poker. Paul's friend, Jason McGuire, then arrived, surveyed the scene, and told Liz that Paul was dead. (McGuire and Paul Stoddard instead faked this death, with Paul fleeing and McGuire burying an empty trunk in the basement, which he said held Paul's body.) Believing she had killed him, Liz did not leave her home until 1967 - when the truth was finally revealed.