A North Carolina mother is facing first-degree murder charges following a Thanksgiving dinner that left one daughter dead and two other guests fighting for their lives. Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, 53, is accused of spiking a bottle of wine with a industrial chemical that transforms into cyanide once ingested.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced that Casper-Leinenkugel is charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and three counts of distributing prohibited food or beverages, according to FOX Carolina.
According to unsealed warrants, the 2023 holiday meal ended in tragedy after 32-year-old Leela Livis, her sister, and the sister’s boyfriend all drank from an adulterated bottle of wine. By that evening, all three were suffering from severe flu-like symptoms. Livis died the following day.
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The chemical identified in the wine was acetonitrile, a solvent used in batteries and pharmaceuticals. The Centers for Disease Control notes that acetonitrile breaks down into cyanide in the body, often causing a “delayed toxicity” that mirrors common illnesses before becoming fatal.
While the surviving daughter reported only mild complications after taking a few sips, her boyfriend was hospitalized for six days. Warrants reveal his cyanide levels were more than five times the lethal limit.
Investigators noted that the wine bottle was already open when Casper-Leinenkugel brought it to the table. The surviving daughter told authorities the bottle “appeared to have a small amount missing, possibly the amount of a tasting.”
In police interviews, the defendant suggested the wine might have been contaminated accidentally, claiming it was stored in a closet near barn chemicals and rat poison.
She also allegedly told hospital staff that “the kids play back there as well and may have ‘got to it.'” However, a search of the residence turned up a bottle of acetonitrile, and Casper-Leinenkugel eventually claimed someone else in the home had purchased the poison.
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The investigation has since reopened a nearly 20-year-old cold case. Authorities have now tied Casper-Leinenkugel to the October 2007 death of Michael Schmidt, who lived in a camper on her property. Schmidt had transferred ownership of that land to her just a year before he died.
Though Schmidt’s death was originally ruled an accidental “huffing” incident involving acetonitrile, detectives noted that Casper-Leinenkugel was the last person to see him alive while they shared drinks. The local District Attorney stated that further deaths associated with the defendant are currently under investigation.
Casper-Leinenkugel, a former restaurateur who once operated several establishments in Asheville and across the country, is scheduled for her next court appearance on April 30.
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