US woman allegedly poisoned husband’s soup at urging of scammer
A Massachusetts woman has found herself in hot water after she allegedly poisoned her husband’s soup because someone pretending to be a soap opera star told her to.
Roxanne Doucette of Townsend, Massachusetts, has been charged with attempted murder, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer.
It all started when someone claiming to be an actor on the TV show The Bold and The Beautiful contacted Doucette. The two struck up a conversation over the phone and eventually, the scammer allegedly asked Doucette for money and told her to leave her husband.
Court documents obtained by CBS News later revealed the text messages between Doucette and a person, who as it turns out, was not a soap star.
“You have to get rid of your husband honey – I need you so much,” one text message from the pretend celebrity said.
“Making an amazing soup. Special
potion,” Doucette replied. “Maybe I could collect life insurance.”
Doucette’s husband, Paul, 73, became unresponsive and landed in the hospital. Doucette called 911.
At the hospital, their daughter stumbled across suspicious text messages between Doucette and the fake soap opera star. When police attempted to seize the phone for evidence, Doucette fought and kicked them.
Luckily, Paul survived and a limited toxicology test on him was negative. He now has a restraining order against his wife.
Confronted by news cameras at her front door, Doucette denied any wrongdoing.
“I absolutely did not poison him whatsoever. We’ve been married 45 years. I love my husband,” she said.
Doucette claimed she and her husband made the soup together and that it was old, not poisoned.
“I want my marriage back. I want my husband back,” Doucette tearfully told reporters.
The Townsend police chief, James Sartell, urged people to not jump to conclusions about the incident and issued a warning about scammers to the community, particularly the elderly.
“Matters like this, they draw intense interest, but the fact of the matter is, these are real people, real victims and real perpetrators,” Sartell said. “We have to take a step back and do a holistic overview.”