In a surprising turn of events, North Carolina law enforcement has taken a woman into custody for two separate murder cases, one from last year and another from nearly two decades ago. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, who now faces charges for the murders of Leela Lavis in 2025 and Michael Schmidt back in 2007.
Alongside these murder charges, Casper-Leinenkugel is also accused of two counts of attempted murder, allegedly targeting Richard Pegg and Mia Lacey in incidents that occurred last year. The gravity of these accusations extends further, as she faces three additional charges related to distributing prohibited food or beverages.
While the sheriff’s office has refrained from divulging further specifics, reports from Law&Crime have shed light on an arrest warrant that offers a glimpse into the chilling details of the alleged crimes. According to the warrant, Casper-Leinenkugel is accused of intentionally distributing or positioning a beverage laced with a toxic chemical, acetonitrile, for human consumption. This substance, known for its potential to cause grave harm, is said to have been used in the incidents under investigation.
Acetonitrile, a solvent with applications ranging from pharmaceuticals to pesticides and batteries, poses a significant health risk. The Centers for Disease Control warns that this chemical can transform into cyanide within the body, often leading to delayed yet severe toxic effects, as documented in related studies on delayed toxicity.
“[T]he defendant unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did knowingly distributed or otherwise caused to be placed in a position of human accessibility or ingestion a beverage which contained a poisonous chemical, acetonitrile, which might cause death or serious physical injury,” the warrant said.
Acetonitrile is a solvent that has multiple uses, including in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and batteries, and, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the chemical “forms cyanide in the body,” frequently resulting in “delayed toxicity.”
