Wife ‘poisons veterinarian husband with animal euthanasia drugs’
A woman in Wisconsin poisoned her husband with animal euthanasia drugs, according to prosecutors.
Amanda Chapin is awaiting trial for attempted first-degree intentional homicide of her husband, Gary Chapin.
Amanda, 50, and Gary, 70, got married in March. Shortly afterwards, she allegedly forged his signature on a power-of-attorney document, then tried to amend his house deed to give her ownership of the property upon his death.
According to his children, Gary had already told his son through text message he would have power-of-attorney if he was hospitalized.
Prosecutors allege Amanda dosed her husband’s coffee with animal euthanasia drugs she took from his veterinary practice.
Gary began having vertigo symptoms in July. According to the criminal complaint against her, Amanda put the poison in his morning coffee – which she would make and drink alongside him on their porch.
After the first incident in July, she told him it sounded like he was having stroke symptoms. She also told him his face looked ‘droopy,’ which he didn’t see when he looked in the mirror.
Gary was hospitalized after he fell into a four-day coma in early August. While in the hospital, his blood tested positive for multiple barbiturates – which he does not take.
After Gary woke up from the coma, he told investigators that he thought Amanda left him outside on the porch after he collapsed.
He also said he believed she used his mortar and pestle to grind up the drugs, which he could not find after he returned to his home.
His sons assisted him in filing a restraining order against his wife. She allegedly violated the court order in September when she texted him a suicide note.
In the message, she denies poisoning him and blames his children. ‘The only thing I am guilty of is loving you SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH,’ her text reads. Amanda survived the attempt after being hospitalized.
On September 2, Gary filed for divorce. The proceedings are still ongoing.
A Wisconsin circuit court judge set Amanda’s bail at $10,000 and barred her from leaving the state or interacting with her husband or his family.
Amanda denies the charges against her.
‘Under the constitutions of this state and this nation, Ms. Chapin is innocent and has the right to due process under the law,’ her lawyer said in a statement.
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