Husband Notices 'Odd Taste' in Drinks & Food His Wife Gives Him, Installs Surveillance Camera at Home

In Jefferson City, Missouri, 37-year-old Sarah Scheffer, a local high school teacher, has been charged with first-degree attempted murder and armed criminal action. The charges stem from allegations that she systematically poisoned her husband over several weeks. This case has garnered significant attention due to its shocking nature and the involvement of a respected educator.

Scheffer was initially arrested on a first-degree domestic assault charge on Monday following a complaint filed by her husband. He accused her of poisoning his food and beverages, leading to a series of worrying symptoms. The Cole County prosecuting attorney later escalated the charges to attempted murder, highlighting the severity of the accusations.

The probable cause statement read: "The victim described eight occurrences in which the defendant provided a beverage or food that had an odd taste and shortly after ingesting he experienced extreme fatigue, confusion, blurred vision, severe cotton mouth, and nausea."

On January 1, the victim confronted Scheffer about a beverage with an unusually "bitter taste." Initially, Scheffer claimed to have urinated in the drink, but she later said that she added an industrial-strength adhesive.

The situation escalated when the husband, suspicious of further tampering, installed CCTV cameras in their home. Footage from these cameras revealed Scheffer preparing a smoothie containing Lily of the Valley, a highly toxic plant known to cause cardiac complications.

Authorities seized and tested the smoothie, confirming the presence of the poisonous plant. During questioning, Scheffer admitted her awareness of the plant's lethal potential and acknowledged that she had intentionally added it to the smoothie meant for her husband.

Scheffer was employed as a design and art teacher at Calvary Lutheran High School. The school was notified of her arrest on Wednesday. In response, the school administration issued a statement clarifying that Scheffer's alleged actions occurred outside the school environment and did not involve students or staff. They assured that appropriate measures had been taken following the arrest.