A Wisconsin couple have been charged in a plot to kill two girls with cyanide, and a number of other investigators monitoring the pair had been hospitalized after coming into contact with the poison, in keeping with prosecutors and reviews.
Paul VanDuyne and Andrea Whitaker are accused of making poisons and utilizing them in an elaborate try and homicide two completely different girls who had been ex-girlfriend’s of VanDuyne, in keeping with the Wisconsin Justice Division.
Prosecutors allege VanDuyne broke into a girl’s automotive in a Middleton Costco parking zone final month and contaminated her water bottle with cyanide.
She discovered folks outdoors her automotive telling her that the automotive had been tampered with, though she didn’t discover something unsuitable on the time, Fox 47 reported.
She did discover the water tasted humorous, the outlet reported.
Two weeks later, the identical factor is alleged to have occurred once more. This time, the girl introduced the bottle to the police, who examined it and confirmed it contained cyanide.
Across the similar time, one other girl in Rock County was hospitalized after consuming cyanide-tainted water present in her automotive after a fitness center go to.
Each alleged victims briefly dated VanDuyne, prosecutors mentioned.
VanDuyne was arrested Sunday after the hazmat-linked investigations and after authorities caught him allegedly attempting to assist cowl up proof.
Police had been monitoring VanDuyne however had been pressured to maneuver rapidly when he tried to contact the Rock County girl final weekend. He was arrested and booked Sunday.
Whereas in jail, VanDuyne referred to as Whitaker and requested her to take away objects from his home, prosecutors mentioned.
Brokers intercepted her leaving along with her belongings. When looking out her cellphone, they discovered a number of messages between the couple discussing completely different poisons.
Prosecutors consider the pair had been planning to homicide VanDuyne’s ex-girlfriends with poison.
A minimum of seven state investigators on the case have been hospitalized for potential publicity to the poison, WISN.com reported.
The outlet reported that Dane County Assistant District Lawyer William Brown revealed Whitaker’s on-line historical past included searches for “Does potassium cyanide cloud water?” and “Sodium cyanide odor, sodium cyanide.”
Searches additionally included “What does cyanide look like?” and “Cyanide lethal,” he mentioned.
VanDuyne and Whitaker face expenses in Rock County of tried murder, aggravated battery, reckless endangerment and stalking — all involving a harmful weapon.
In Dane County, VanDuyne faces extra expenses for tried murder and stalking, whereas Whitaker can be accused of serving to him and attempting to cowl it up.
Seven businesses had been concerned within the investigation, together with the Wisconsin Division of Justice’s Division of Felony Investigation, the Rock County Sheriff’s Workplace, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories and the FBI.
