After her husband used home security cameras to uncover an alleged murder plot, a Missouri teacher was placed under arrest.
A probable cause statement obtained by ABC affiliate KMIZ 17 and People lists Sarah Scheffer, a 37-year-old art and design teacher at Jefferson City’s Cavalry Lutheran High School, as facing charges of first-degree murder attempt and armed criminal action.
The suspected husband, Scheffer’s spouse, reported the scheme to the local police on Tuesday after becoming ill approximately six days prior.
He had been suspicious when, after eating or drinking in his own home, he had an acute cotton mouth, excessive weariness, confusion, blurred vision, and nausea almost ten times in a row.
Court records that Nexstar’s KTVI was able to reveal that the husband had been suspecting for a few weeks that Scheffer was secretly adding harmful or dangerous chemicals to his food and drink.
The husband allegedly installed a covert security camera in the kitchen at some point following the incident.
According to the authorities, the chemical she used contained cardiac glycosides, which are a component of a class of medications used to treat abnormal heartbeats. Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are indicators of poisoning.
According to Tim Evans, a veterinary toxicologist at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, he indicated that the husband could notice symptoms quite soon if he consumed enough of it in a short amount of time. However, he continued, it all depended on the plant’s component and quantity ingested.
Evans claims that the roots of the plant are the most poisonous component.
A national poison control center search revealed, according to a press release from the police, that every component of the chemical used had multiple cardiac glycosides, which slow down the heart and induce abnormal heart rhythms.
The press statement adds that nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain are possible side effects of cardiac glycoside poisoning.
The victim’s wife, Sarah Scheffer, was located by the Jefferson County Police Department and brought in for an interview.
Scheffer acknowledged adding Lily of the Valley to her husband’s dish during the interview. She also knew that the chemical may be fatal or induce a major sickness, according to the police.
Men’s Journal was informed by a Cole County Jail representative that Scheffer is being held there without bond at the moment. It is planned to be arraigned on Friday. It’s unclear at this time if she has gotten legal counsel or filed a plea.
Scheffer’s narrative strangely resembles that of Connor Bowman, a former Mayo Clinic physician. After their open relationship ended, he is suspected of killing his wife with a poisoned smoothie.
Cases of exposure to the plant in Missouri have been comparatively rare over the years, according to Julie Weber, director of the Missouri Poison Center. According to Weber, there have been five reports in 2023 and about 51 occurrences in the state since 2000.
According to Weber, they did receive five questions concerning exposures, most frequently from kids who had chewed on a plant or eaten some berries.
What Did The Husband Notice?
Scheffer’s concerns were aroused by a cocktail he made on New Year’s Eve, which the husband remembered having a bitter flavor and experiencing some strange symptoms the following day.
In addition, the husband reported to the police that he noticed a bag in their house with the label “Lily of the Valley” on it. In addition, he noticed a green dish containing what appeared to be a bagged root.
The man gave the authorities a picture of the bowl and a video of Scheffer using its contents to make a smoothie. The individual gave the law enforcement the smoothie. It was turned in for examination at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Laboratory.
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