A Missouri woman who taught at a Lutheran school allegedly poisoned her husband’s food multiple times while she was having a relationship with someone halfway around the world, KMIZ-TV reports.
Sarah Scheffer, 37, faces charges of first-degree domestic assault, first-degree attempted murder and armed criminal action in connection with the allegations.
On Tuesday, Scheffer’s husband reported to law enforcement he believed his wife had been poisoning him for the past six weeks, prompting an investigation, according to a press release from the Jefferson City Police Department.
Court records obtained by CrimeOnline show what led the husband to suspect he was being poisoned.
“The victim described eight occurrences in which the defendant provided a beverage or food that had an odd taste and shortly after ingesting he experienced extreme fatigue, confusion, blurred vision, severe cotton mouth, and nausea,” a probable cause statement filed in court reads.
On January 1, the husband confronted his wife after she brought him something to drink that tasted bitter. Scheffer allegedly responded that she had urinated in the beverage, then said she had put “industrial strength adhesive in it,” then denied putting anything in the drink.
The husband installed a hidden camera and recorded Scheffer on Tuesday making a smoothie. The video allegedly shows her adding material from a bag labeled “lily of the valley,” a poisonous plant that can cause heart problems, according to CBS News.
Scheffer allegedly admitted to mixing lily of the valley into the smoothie “with the intent to cause the victim harm” and knew that ingesting the plant could result in death, the probable cause statement reads.
As of Saturday, Scheffer was in custody in the Cole County Jail. Authorities argued she could be a flight risk because she has been having a relationship with someone in Pakistan and has searched for flights to the country, according to ABC News.
Prior to her arrest, Scheffer worked as a part-time art teacher at Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City. She is now on leave from that job.
“The alleged conduct was outside of the employee’s association with the school and did not involve a student or any other school personnel,” Calvary Lutheran Executive Director John Christman said in the public statement, according to KOMU-TV.
“As a Christian community, Calvary Lutheran High School believes in protecting the well-being of all individuals who are part of our programs and we seek to respond in a caring and sensitive manner to everyone in our school community. With this in mind, consistent action has been taken in response to the notification.”
Scheffer’s father said he was stunned by the allegations.
“She’s a decent person,” Marcus Blaskie told NBC News. “I don’t think she could have done this, but I guess that’ll just have to come out at trial.”
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[Feature Photo: Sarah Scheffer/Cole County Jail]
