NC - Restaurant owner charged with murdering 2 people by putting poison in their drinks - Hendersonville, arrested 16 Jan 2026

[Warwick1991]

From @Warwick1991's post above:

How is acetonitrile used?
Acetonitrile is used to make pharmaceuticals, perfumes, rubber products, pesticides, acrylic nail
removers and batteries. It is also used to extract fatty acids from animal and vegetable oils.
Before working with acetonitrile, employee training should be provided on safe handling and
storage procedures.

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Pr...9-05.pdf?rev=28d46581211d4fcfa7d6354706f38e38

It wouldn't be normal for a restaurant kitchen to use, though. I think it is used in industrial processes only, from what I've read. Too dangerous in a kitchen...

 

[Inthedetails]

From your link I did find this about the Pub that she opened in 2016. It actually looks like it was a fun concept. Have no idea how long is stayed open - Patton Public House brings European comfort food to West Asheville – Mountain Xpress

Can anyone find other businesses she might have owned and where? I'm looking but stumbling around.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

I think she no longer runs/owns the Public House. (Not sure about that, though). So, they may have had a romantic relationship that turned sour? Sounds very plausible to me!

Yeah, I am pretty sure the Patton Public House is closed.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Answering my own question: Michael Schmidt died in a house fire in Hendersonville

Mother Accused Of Poisoning Her Daughter Is Linked To 2007 Cold Case Murder | 101.5 WIBA FM

Authorities indicated that additional deaths might be under investigation.

wibafm.iheart.com

More info about Michael Schmidt, who died in a house fire in 2007:

Schmidt transferred his property at 15 Schmidt Terrace to Casper-Leinenkugel in 2006, Henderson County land records show. Schmidt’s death certificate, which a Lightning reporter reviewed on Tuesday, lists cause of death as “amended” and “pending autopsy.”

Murder defendant is the mother of two alleged poisoning victims - Hendersonville Lightning

Hendersonville, NC - The fastest name in news. Local News, Sports, Politics, Weather, etc.

www.hendersonvillelightning.com

^^This link has more info about the Thanksgiving party when the people drank the poisoned wine, allegedly. Worth looking at.

I think we're in for a tangled mess of a case.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

IMO the utter depravity in this one. SMH

Would like to know more about how this individual found the knowledge of this particular chemical and its mode of action and apparent chemical conversion in certain environments. Up thread I thought I just read in the body or in chemical reactions within it, acetonitrile can convert to a cyanide.

IANAL. Sure seems the use of this chemical and when it was sourced and how it was obtained could contribute to several elements of premeditation. MOO

 

[Inthedetails]

According to the article linked above, she is part of that dynasty. Not pretend.

jmo

Now I'm second guessing that reporting. Apparently her name is Gudrun Linda Jean Casper-Leinenkugel and I'm skeptical that is her given name. I wonder if Linda Jean Casper somewhere along the line became Gudrun Leinenkugel to sound more German to go along with her Public House? IDK if that is crazy on my part (or hers!).

Speculation, at this point.

jmopinion

 

[alexwood]

It wouldn't be normal for a restaurant kitchen to use, though. I think it is used in industrial processes only, from what I've read. Too dangerous in a kitchen...

Thanks, @Warwick1991, for pointing that out to me!

 

[alexwood]

Now I'm second guessing that reporting. Apparently her name is Gudrun Linda Jean Casper-Leinenkugel and I'm skeptical that is her given name. I wonder if Linda Jean Casper somewhere along the line became Gudrun Leinenkugel to sound more German to go along with her Public House? IDK if that is crazy on my part (or hers!).

Speculation, at this point.

jmopinion

Someone with her history is bound to need to change her name -- maybe multiple times!

 

[Stunned]

The only thing I have been able to find is that the Schmidt fire happened in Henderson county.

This woman has lived in several locations, it's going to be interesting to see what she's connected to!

JMO

Hendersonville, Asheville and Brevard are cities in WNC right next to each other. The daughter who died lived in Brevard. IMO

 

[Stunned]

Yeah, I am pretty sure the Patton Public House is closed.

jmo

It is. IMO

 

[acutename]

From @Warwick1991's post above:

How is acetonitrile used?
Acetonitrile is used to make pharmaceuticals, perfumes, rubber products, pesticides, acrylic nail
removers and batteries. It is also used to extract fatty acids from animal and vegetable oils.
Before working with acetonitrile, employee training should be provided on safe handling and
storage procedures.

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Pr...9-05.pdf?rev=28d46581211d4fcfa7d6354706f38e38

she would have to buy it from a lab supply....would seem odd and create evidence of purchase and she would have to avoid poisoning herself with it.

 

[alexwood]

Can anyone find other businesses she might have owned and where? I'm looking but stumbling around.

jmo

Patton Public House brings European comfort food to West Asheville – Mountain Xpress
[Above article from 2016]
"Casper-Leinenkugel is no stranger to hard work. “I’ve been working since I was 13,” she says, but she wasn’t mowing lawns, delivering papers or baby-sitting. “I owned a laundromat. I had to learn how to run the business and fix the machines. It was a good learning experience.” Since then, she has opened six restaurants and bars across the country."

 

[Inthedetails]

she would have to buy it from a lab supply....would seem odd and create evidence of purchase and she would have to avoid poisoning herself with it.

I'd like to know her work history and/or where any partners worked. That seems like inside knowledge to know about the poison in the first place and to know how to get it.

Their investigation also determined that Casper-Leinenkugel had asked Google “what to do if I accidentally ingest acetonitrile?” after learning of the illnesses of the people who attended the meal. She also asked the internet “Does wine turn into cyanide?” Reeves said. Arrest warrants accuse the defendant of lacing the victims’ beverages with acetonitrile, and that chemical was found during a search of her home, the prosecutor said.
Blood tests revealed that five times the legal dose of the substance was later found in the blood of Leela, who died after the Thanksgiving gathering. Tests also confirmed the other victims had ingested the chemical, he said.
Investigators also believe Schmidt was poisoned, he said.

Murder defendant is the mother of two alleged poisoning victims - Hendersonville Lightning

Hendersonville, NC - The fastest name in news. Local News, Sports, Politics, Weather, etc.

www.hendersonvillelightning.com

 

[Stunned]

Patton Public House brings European comfort food to West Asheville – Mountain Xpress
[Above article from 2016]
"Casper-Leinenkugel is no stranger to hard work. “I’ve been working since I was 13,” she says, but she wasn’t mowing lawns, delivering papers or baby-sitting. “I owned a laundromat. I had to learn how to run the business and fix the machines. It was a good learning experience.” Since then, she has opened six restaurants and bars across the country."

Where are the other 6 bars and restaurants?

 

[Inthedetails]

Someone with her history is bound to need to change her name -- maybe multiple times!

And one point she was married to man with last name Shelton so perhaps went by that name at times.

I don't want to sleuth him, off-limits as a family member, but perhaps find some of her activities through that name. Perhaps in other states like Wisconsin. I'm not sure yet when she moved to NC.

Article mentions ex: Murder defendant is the mother of two alleged poisoning victims - Hendersonville Lightning

 

[Inthedetails]

Where are the other 6 bars and restaurants?

I'm taking all of the info supplied by her with a big ol' grain of salt, until verified.

Perhaps she worked in six other bars and is pretending to have owned them? I don't know. It's hard to tell with her possible name changes and we don't know other places she has lived besides Wisconsin and North Carolina. I suspect there are places, but idk.

jmo

 

[Chimera]

Yup. The computer search found it.

Hard to hide your digital footprint.
This sounds like a future dateline episode.
Did she not want them to inherit after she'd passed ??
If so, why not-- can't take it with you.
Imo.

 

[Chimera]

"The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies also found evidence linking Casper-Leinenkugel to Michael Schmidt, who died in a house fire in 2007. During the hearing, it was also revealed that Casper-Leinenkugel is tied to additional deaths that are currently under investigation."

Mom accused of killing daughter by poisoning her wine at Thanksgiving dinner, officials say

Tip of the (criminal) iceberg ????
My guess at this time is that the deaths are linked to money somehow.
Imo.

 

[Inthedetails]

Hard to hide your digital footprint.
This sounds like a future dateline episode.
Did she not want them to inherit after she'd passed ??
If so, why not-- can't take it with you.
Imo.

Would she inherit from them??

jmo

 

[Chimera]

Would she inherit from them??

jmo

Hmmm ! Good point.