HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (Court TV) — A North Carolina woman is charged with murders that occurred 18 years apart.
Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel is charged with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. (Henderson County Sheriff’s Office)
Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder after what police described as an “extensive and comprehensive” investigation.
Investigators say Casper-Leinenkugel hosted a 12-person Thanksgiving dinner in November 2025, where she poisoned a bottle of wine that she served to her two daughters and one of their boyfriends, WHNS reported. Prosecutors said Casper-Leinenkugel added acetonitrile to the bottle before serving it.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, acetonitrile is primarily found in air from automobile exhaust and manufacturing facilities; it’s used as a solvent, for spinning fibers and in lithium batteries. When ingested by humans, the body converts the substance to cyanide, potentially causing poisoning.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced charges against Casper-Leinenkugel for the murder of Leela Livis and the attempted murders of Richard Pegg and Mia Lacey. While investigating the deaths, detectives found evidence linking Casper-Leinenkugel to the 2007 murder of Michael Schmidt, who died in a house fire, and charged her for that as well.
At a bond hearing, prosecutors revealed they are continuing to investigate additional deaths that could be tied to the defendant, WHNS reported.
Casper-Leinenkugel is due in court next for a probable cause hearing on Feb. 10.
