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A former restaurateur from North Carolina is facing serious charges after allegedly poisoning a bottle of wine at her Thanksgiving dinner, resulting in her daughter’s death and causing illness in two others.
Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder following an investigation into the tragic death of her daughter, Leela Livis.
The 52-year-old also faces three counts related to the unlawful distribution of food and beverages, as prosecutors contend that Livis, along with Mia Lacey and Richard Pegg, fell ill after the Thanksgiving gathering.
Local news outlets, including the Hendersonville Lightning, have identified Lacey as another daughter of Casper-Leinenkugel, while Pegg is reported to be the boyfriend of one of the daughters.
According to District Attorney Robert Reeves, who spoke in court as reported by the newspaper, all three were among the 12 attendees at the Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Casper-Leinenkugel. In a text message sent to her mother hours after the meal, Livis mentioned that she and Pegg were experiencing vomiting.
District Attorney Robert Reeves said in court, according to the newspaper, that all three attended a 12-person Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Casper-Leinenkugel. Hours after the meal, Livis texted her mother that she and Pegg were vomiting.
Livis died on Dec. 1, according to an incident report provided to Oxygen.
According to the district attorney, investigators determined that all three victims drank from the same bottle of wine at the family dinner. Detectives also discovered the Casper-Leinenkugel had asked Google “what do I do if I accidentally ingest acetonitrile?” and “Does wine turn into cyanide?” not long after learning the family members had fallen ill, Reeves said.
Casper-Leinenkugal was accused of using acetonitrile—a colorless liquid known for its sweet taste—to poison beverages that were “distributed or otherwise caused to be placed in a position of human accessibility of ingestion.” according to an arrest warrant obtained by People. The chemical is described by authorities as something that “might cause death or serious physical injury.”
Blood tests found Livis had five times the legal dose of the substance in her body, Reeves said. The chemical was also found in the bloodwork of the other two victims.
Casper-Leinenkugel is also facing allegations that she killed Michael Schmidt decades earlier.
“During the course of the investigation,” authorities noted in a statement, “Detectives located evidence linking Casper-Leinenkugel to the murder of Michael Schmidt that occurred in Henderson County in 2007.”
Investigators believe, according to Reeves, that Schmidt may have also been poisoned.
Both Livis and Schmidt were killed, per to the warrant, with “malice aforethought.”
At Casper-Leinenkugel’s first court hearing Tuesday, authorities said she also may be linked to other deaths that are currently under investigation, local station WHNS reported.
Casper-Leinenkugel—who once operated a restaurant in Asheville—is currently being held at the Henderson County Jail without bond.
She has yet to retain an attorney, according to the Hendersonville Lightning. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 10.
