Welcome to Arrest Stories. A fifty-two-year-old Henderson County woman faces multiple murder charges spanning nearly two decades after authorities say she poisoned victims' beverages with a toxic chemical. Here's what may have happened.
Following an extensive investigation by multiple agencies, Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel was arrested and charged in connection with the two thousand twenty-five murder of Brevard's Leela Livis, age thirty-two. Authorities announced the charges on Friday, with investigators alleging Casper-Leinenkugel knowingly placed acetonitrile into victims' beverages.
Court documents reveal Casper-Leinenkugel faces charges of attempted murder involving Richard Pegg and Mia Lacey. The distribution charge involves knowingly distributing food or beverage containing noxious substances, controlled substances, or poisonous chemicals. According to warrants, the defendant unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did knowingly distribute or otherwise cause 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.
Acetonitrile is a clear, colorless liquid used as a solvent, for spinning fibers, and in lithium batteries. The chemical is also known as methyl cyanide in certain industrial contexts and forms cyanide in the body when metabolized. Acute inhalation exposure results in irritation of mucous membranes, while chronic exposure causes central nervous system effects including headaches, numbness, and tremors.
During the course of investigating the two thousand twenty-five incidents, detectives discovered evidence linking Casper-Leinenkugel to the murder of Michael Schmidt, which occurred in Henderson County in two thousand seven. The charges now span crimes from two thousand seven to two thousand twenty-five.
On January sixteenth, two thousand twenty-six, a magistrate judge denied Casper-Leinenkugel's pretrial release and ordered her held at the Henderson County Detention Center. Authorities stated there is no current or ongoing threat to the public, though officials said no more information would be released at this time.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.