Key Highlights
- The January assessment, prepared by the DHS Intelligence Division within the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, identifies the worrying trend officials say makes it challenging for detection, investigation and prosecution because symptoms can mimic natural illness. DHS said in the bulletin it has "moderate confidence" that domestic partners are increasingly using chemical and biological toxins — including cyanide and ricin — to harm or kill spouses or partners, based on reporting over the last five years.
- The judgment is supported by law enforcement reporting, medical center data and documented cases spanning multiple states and years.
- WIFE CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER ALLEGEDLY LACING HUSBAND'S DRINK WITH POISON: POLICE Chemical and biological toxins used by domestic partners to harm or kill victims have increased over the past five years, according to a DHS bulletin.
- (iStock) "These cases often initially present as natural illness," the report states, noting that many toxins cause delayed or nonspecific symptoms that complicate medical diagnosis and can obscure criminal intent, delaying intervention and increasing the risk of serious harm or death. The intelligence bulletin also highlights recent incidents showing the threat posed by the domestic use of chemical and biological toxins.
- In one example, a Colorado dentist was convicted of first-degree murder after gradually poisoning his wife with a mix of arsenic, cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a medication commonly found in eye drops. Arsenic was added to his wife’s protein shakes.
