A North Carolina woman accused of secretly poisoning a drink with a cyanide-forming chemical is now facing multiple murder charges after investigators linked her to a second killing dating back nearly two decades. Authorities say the case has widened dramatically, raising concerns about a possible pattern of deliberate poisoning.
Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, 52, has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2025 death of 32-year-old Leela Livis, according to a statement from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Detectives later uncovered evidence allegedly connecting her to the 2007 murder of Michael Schmidt in Henderson County, resulting in an additional murder charge.
