RALEIGH, N.C. (WKRC) — A woman was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after allegedly poisoning at least three people by slipping a deadly chemical into their drinks, state investigators said.

State investigators say Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, 52, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after she allegedly poisoning at least three people by slipping a deadly chemical into their drinks. (Photo: North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation)

Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel, 52, faces charges in the 2025 death of 32-year-old Leela Livis, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced. Authorities said Casper-Leinenkugel distributed a beverage containing acetonitrile, a chemical that converts to cyanide in the body and causes delayed toxicity.

Investigators also linked Casper-Leinenkugel to a 2007 killing in Henderson County, leading to a second first-degree murder charge, officials said.

Casper-Leinenkugel, who previously operated a restaurant in Asheville, is being held at the Henderson County Detention Facility after a judge denied her request for release.