A Massachusetts mother allegedly poisoned her husband's soup in a vicious catfish scam prompted by an online user claiming to be soap opera star Thorsten Kaye.
Roxanne Doucette was charged with attempted murder after she was turned over by her daughter, who discovered messages from 64-year-old “Kay” instructing her to leave her husband to be together. WCVB reports.
Her daughter, Nicole Heath, was looking through her mother's messages with the scammer after the scammer convinced her to send him $8,000.
However, her mother insisted on her innocence when questioned by reporters.
“They're wrong, because I'm a great cook. My son is in culinary school. I learned from the best mother, my mother,” Doucette told a local station. Ta. “And I didn't try to poison her husband.”
Investigators believe her husband, Paul Doucette, 73, spent several days in the hospital after eating the contaminated soup.
While Roxanne and the couple's daughter sit by her hospital bed, Roxanne uses her mother's cell phone to help police investigate a financial fraud case involving an alleged “The Bold and the Beautiful” actor. He was taking screenshots of messages he had with other people.
What she discovered was far more disturbing.
“You have to get rid of your husband, honey. I need you so badly,” a person identified as Kay wrote to Roxanne on Dec. 1, according to police documents obtained by WCVB.
Roxanne replied that she needed to think about it, then at 2:43 p.m. said, “I'm going to make a wonderful soup. A special potion. He'll be hungry when he gets back. That's enough for him.'' is.”
And at 4:26 p.m., she sent the following message: “Her husband came home unwell. Maybe she could get life insurance,” the document states.
“Honey, when will that be?'' “Kay'' replied, and Roxanne replied that she didn't know.
Less than an hour later, at 5:11 p.m. that same day, Roxanne called 911 to report that her husband was unresponsive.
He was rushed to Nashoba Valley Medical Center, leaving his daughter by his side.
Mr. Heath regained consciousness and asked what he remembered from before his father became ill.
“Paul said Roxanne made him soup, but it didn't taste very good.'' According to the police report obtained by the station, the man said it tasted bitter.
Heath then contacted police on Dec. 3 and took her mother to the police station to speak with investigators, the department reported.
The mother admitted texting someone she believed was the soap star, but said she did not hurt her husband.
“[‘Thorsten’ was] They told me they loved me and that I was leaving my husband, but I had no intention of leaving him. I love my husband very much,” she later told WCVB.
The situation at the station escalated as police attempted to take away her cell phone and iPad as part of the investigation. When her officers tried to take her into custody for interfering with their investigation, she allegedly kicked them in the groin, WCVB reported.
In addition to attempted murder, she was charged with intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer and assault. She was then charged with an additional charge of breaching a confidentiality order after sending a letter to her husband.
Roxanne is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
A toxicology report prepared on Paul by the hospital came back negative for opioids, cocaine and alcohol, but investigators say those are the only tests Paul was tested for.
