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Pittsburgh scientist charged over wife's cyanide death | Pittsburgh scientist charged over wife's cyanide death |
(35 minutes later) | |
A US neuroscientist has been charged with killing his wife by lacing with cyanide an energy drink he said would help her get pregnant. | A US neuroscientist has been charged with killing his wife by lacing with cyanide an energy drink he said would help her get pregnant. |
Police say Dr Robert Ferrante, 64, gave the supplement to Dr Autumn Klein on 17 April. She died three days later. | Police say Dr Robert Ferrante, 64, gave the supplement to Dr Autumn Klein on 17 April. She died three days later. |
Klein, 41, was a neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh, where her husband also worked. He had suspected her of infidelity, say authorities. | |
He was arrested in West Virginia after a nationwide law enforcement alert. | He was arrested in West Virginia after a nationwide law enforcement alert. |
His lawyer, William Difenderfer, told a local CBS broadcaster: "He is adamant that he is innocent. I believe him and I'm sure it'll be a hell of a trial." | His lawyer, William Difenderfer, told a local CBS broadcaster: "He is adamant that he is innocent. I believe him and I'm sure it'll be a hell of a trial." |
Smiling emoticon | Smiling emoticon |
When Klein died, her blood was so acidic that doctors tested it for cyanide as a precaution, and the results came back positive. | When Klein died, her blood was so acidic that doctors tested it for cyanide as a precaution, and the results came back positive. |
She was cremated at her husband's request, according to a police complaint released on Thursday. | She was cremated at her husband's request, according to a police complaint released on Thursday. |
Two days before Klein fell ill, Dr Ferrante used a university credit card to buy more than 8oz (220g) of cyanide. Police said it was the only substance he purchased not related to his work. | Two days before Klein fell ill, Dr Ferrante used a university credit card to buy more than 8oz (220g) of cyanide. Police said it was the only substance he purchased not related to his work. |
Hours before Klein fell sick, the couple had texted back and forth about the supplement's ability to help them conceive a second child. | |
"Will it stimulate egg production too?" she asked. | "Will it stimulate egg production too?" she asked. |
Dr Ferrante responded with a smiling emoticon, say the authorities. | Dr Ferrante responded with a smiling emoticon, say the authorities. |
According to investigators, Dr Ferrante suspected Klein was having an affair, and had confronted her three times about it. | |
Klein told a male friend at a conference in San Francisco two months before her death that she planned to leave her husband, states the complaint. | |
The couple wed in 2001 after meeting while she was a student and he worked at a veteran's hospital in Massachusetts. | |
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