Massachusetts woman accused of poisoning husband at request of phony soap opera star
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A Massachusetts woman is facing an attempted murder charge after what investigators called a botched bid to kill her husband: a nefarious plot allegedly involving poisoned soup and the influence of a person posing as soap opera star Thorsten Kaye.
Authorities initially launched their investigation into 64-year-old Roxanne Doucette back in December, when her daughter, Nicole Heath, reported concerns about her mother poisoning her father, Paul Doucette, WCVB reported. She told police she was in her father’s hospital room in Nashoba Valley Medical Center when she saw suspicious messages on her mother’s phone, among them exchanges with someone purporting to be “The Bold and the Beautiful” actor.
Heath noted her mom had been tricked into giving money to the scammer, which prompted her to start screen-grabbing the texts. That’s when she saw an even more alarming correspondence between the pair.
On Dec. 1, the phony soap star told Doucette: “You have to get rid of your husband honey. I need you so much,” according to court documents obtained by NBC News on Wednesday.
Doucette initially said she needed to think about it before responding a few hours later.
“Making an amazing soup,” she wrote. “Special potion. He will be hungry when he gets back. Just enough for him.”
She followed up with another message a short time later: “Hubby got back not feeling well. Maybe I can collect life insurance.”
“Honey, when will that be?” the scammer replied.
Just after 5 p.m. that same day, Doucette called 911 for her 73-year-old husband. According to the police report, he was unresponsive but still breaking upon first responders’ arrival.
Doucette denied trying to harm her husband of 45 years, speculating instead that he may have suffered a transient ischemic attack or mini-stroke.
“I would never try to poison anybody. I mean, did daycare for 15 years. I had a licensed daycare. I’ve done nursing and I have taken care of people,” she said. “I would not hurt anyone.”
Doucette did admit to speaking with a person she believed to be Kaye, but said she has since stopped all correspondence.
