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

[bestill]

At one point I thought this could be insurance related but I don't think that she had the means to pay for life insurance. Totally flummoxed as to why now!

 

[Inthedetails]

Hmmm ! Good point.

The daughter who was killed earned her MBA (from article linked upthread), which I'm assuming means she is good with money and perhaps had some assets. Perhaps Gudrun Linda Jean Casper-Leinenkugel is not good with money. Money perhaps is a motivation? (Though as a parent, that is absolutely repugnant.)

Leela Livis', the deceased daughter, Linked In:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leela-livis/

 

[Emerald1328]

Could this be some kind of psychotic attention-seeking behavior? Having your daughters get sick/die sure would get you a lot of attention and sympathy from others.

 

[Emerald1328]

So is she apparently a possible serial arsonist in addition to a possible serial killer? We know about the fire in which the first victim died, but her ex-mother-in-law had this to say (keep in mind that the son being referenced is not the 2007 victim):

Asked whether she had kept up with Casper-Leinenkugel, she said she had not.

“I don’t associate with Linda,” she said. “When her and my son broke up, he was moving out of the house, and we were helping him move and we went back up to get the rest of the stuff and the house had burnt down mysteriously in the middle of the night.”

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

 

[Inthedetails]

So is she apparently a possible serial arsonist in addition to a possible serial killer? We know about the fire in which the first victim died, but her ex-mother-in-law had this to say (keep in mind that the son being referenced is not the 2007 victim):

Asked whether she had kept up with Casper-Leinenkugel, she said she had not.

“I don’t associate with Linda,” she said. “When her and my son broke up, he was moving out of the house, and we were helping him move and we went back up to get the rest of the stuff and the house had burnt down mysteriously in the middle of the night.”

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

I won't be surprised if con-artist is added to the list, once we learn more.

jmopinion

 

[acutename]

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.

maybe it's somebody else's death and inheritance?- too many heirs right now? Way to spoil Thanksgiving.

 

[Inthedetails]

maybe it's somebody else's death and inheritance?- too many heirs right now? Way to spoil Thanksgiving.

None of it makes sense. The two daughters are young, in their 20s. They have different fathers (though it sounds like ex-husband Shelton raised the oldest as his own).

And why attempt to kill the daughter's boyfriend? What would the benefit of that be?

Invite the adult children to a family event and then poison them. It's so bizarre.

jmo

 

[Chimera]

Seething resentment that built up over the years ?

 

[Inthedetails]

Seething resentment that built up over the years ?

I think she wanted the girls' bank accounts, even if they likely weren't sizable, but perhaps enough to get Mom out of bind. I have a feeling Gudrun/Linda gets herself into financial messes and then kills people in her life for their assets.

And I'm guessing she is devoid of any feelings or soul since she did this to her own daughters.

That's my working theory, anyway. Subject to change as we learn more.

jmo

 

[elliefant]

None of it makes sense. The two daughters are young, in their 20s. They have different fathers (though it sounds like ex-husband Shelton raised the oldest as his own).

And why attempt to kill the daughter's boyfriend? What would the benefit of that be?

Invite the adult children to a family event and then poison them. It's so bizarre.

jmo

I suspect the daughter’s boyfriend wasn’t necessarily an intended victim in himself. Whoever was/were her target(s) I think she just didn’t care who else got harmed or killed. The bottle/glass of wine could have been passed up the table to any of the attendees and out of her control, and she just didn’t care as long as her target was also affected.

Imo one of the daughters was her target and probably for some perceived slight or “injustice”.

If she didn’t receive life insurance for Schmidt it seems likely money is not the motive for her killings, or not the only motive anyway.

 

[katydid23]

A few interesting comments (and lots of stupid ones) on this North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations post. https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1266395485519551&set=a.270940895065020&id=100064473351086

Can anyone confirm that Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel is the result of a name change?

Interesting that some are saying there was a connection to the man she murdered years ago:
. The first guy she is accused of killing in 2007 was who she bought her properties from the year before.

And she wanted both her daughters dead and the daughter's boyfriend, apparently?

 

[katydid23]

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 wonder if she still owed Schmidt some money from the real estate transaction the year prior? And she wanted to cancel the debt?

 

[katydid23]

At one point I thought this could be insurance related but I don't think that she had the means to pay for life insurance. Totally flummoxed as to why now!

I went down a deep rabbit hole following the Mushroom Murders in Victoria. [Erin Patterson now incarcerated]

So ended up doing a deep dive about family poisoners ---they are a very strange lot.

Behavioral Traits

• Avoidance of Confrontation: Unlike killers who use physical violence, poisoners tend to be non-confrontational and passive, preferring to operate behind the scenes.
• Manipulative Nature: They often rely on verbal and emotional manipulation, such as gaslighting, guilt, and playing the victim, before turning to murder.
• "Mask of Care": They often adopt the role of a devoted spouse, nurse, or caregiver, acting as the "tender, self-sacrificing attendant" to the person they are slowly killing.
• Methodical Planning: The act is rarely impulsive; it involves studying poisons, planning alibis, and knowing how to hide symptoms to make the death appear natural

Common traits of family poisoners include:

Psychological Characteristics

• Need for Control and Power: Poisoners often feel a sense of inadequacy and compensate through a desperate need to control their environment and the people in it.
• Emotional Immaturity: Experts often describe them as "developmentally stunted" or like "incorrigible children" who cannot handle not getting their own way.
• Lack of Empathy: They are often described as remorseless and narcissistic, focusing entirely on their own needs and desires while ignoring the suffering of their victims.
• High Intelligence and Cunning: Poisoning requires careful planning and premeditation, making these individuals typically methodical, sneaky, and clever.
• Vanity and Arrogance: They often possess a deep-seated belief in their own mental superiority and a vanity that convinces them they will never get caught.

Here is one study:

Those who've been caught and convicted give us some clues — clever, sneaky, emotionally immature, methodical, and self-centered. Many of them are amazingly skilled at pretending to be something they're not — a doting husband, caring nurse, or devoted friend. Behind the mask, though, lies a psyche that is propelled by childish needs and unencumbered by moral restraints.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-equation/201207/a-psychological-profile-of-a-poisoner#:~:text=has%20been%20written%20about%20the,any%20good%20at%20detecting%20it).

 

[Bethan]

Thank you @katydid23 for doing the research!

I also followed the Erin Patterson case closely & it was interesting to hear what her former “friends” & associates had to say about her afterwards ie highly intelligent, but sneaky, manipulative & an unpleasant character.

I feel Lucy Letby, the convicted UK baby- killer fits this category perfectly, though we have heard surprisingly little about her background or life outside of nursing.
A few vocal ‘ so-called friends’ have defended her in the press but I believe these are people who she has carefully cultivated & manipulated & doubt she has ever had any true friends.

This Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel case is interesting & it’s chilling that she has worked in restaurants….also that she claims to have been a babysitter when younger!

Intrigued as to how she gained access to this particular chemical & the knowledge on how to handle it, without poisoning herself.

I wonder if she has any laboratory/ biochemistry or pharmaceutical background & knowing it’s potential toxicity ‘acquired’ the acetylnitrile for future use?

Following with interest……

 

[Inthedetails]

I went down a deep rabbit hole following the Mushroom Murders in Victoria. [Erin Patterson now incarcerated]

So ended up doing a deep dive about family poisoners ---they are a very strange lot.

Behavioral Traits

• Avoidance of Confrontation: Unlike killers who use physical violence, poisoners tend to be non-confrontational and passive, preferring to operate behind the scenes.
• Manipulative Nature: They often rely on verbal and emotional manipulation, such as gaslighting, guilt, and playing the victim, before turning to murder.
• "Mask of Care": They often adopt the role of a devoted spouse, nurse, or caregiver, acting as the "tender, self-sacrificing attendant" to the person they are slowly killing.
• Methodical Planning: The act is rarely impulsive; it involves studying poisons, planning alibis, and knowing how to hide symptoms to make the death appear natural

Common traits of family poisoners include:

Psychological Characteristics

• Need for Control and Power: Poisoners often feel a sense of inadequacy and compensate through a desperate need to control their environment and the people in it.
• Emotional Immaturity: Experts often describe them as "developmentally stunted" or like "incorrigible children" who cannot handle not getting their own way.
• Lack of Empathy: They are often described as remorseless and narcissistic, focusing entirely on their own needs and desires while ignoring the suffering of their victims.
• High Intelligence and Cunning: Poisoning requires careful planning and premeditation, making these individuals typically methodical, sneaky, and clever.
• Vanity and Arrogance: They often possess a deep-seated belief in their own mental superiority and a vanity that convinces them they will never get caught.

Here is one study:

Those who've been caught and convicted give us some clues — clever, sneaky, emotionally immature, methodical, and self-centered. Many of them are amazingly skilled at pretending to be something they're not — a doting husband, caring nurse, or devoted friend. Behind the mask, though, lies a psyche that is propelled by childish needs and unencumbered by moral restraints.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-equation/201207/a-psychological-profile-of-a-poisoner#:~:text=has%20been%20written%20about%20the,any%20good%20at%20detecting%20it).

Super interesting. Your research in the mushroom case is helping out here. I will be curious as this case goes on, what specific similiarities you see between the two perps. (I didn't follow the mushroom case closely.)

Did you find that most of this type of killer are women??


jmo

 

[Warwick1991]

Most family annihilators in the US are men, and most of the cases I've read about are men who murder their wives and children, and then themselves. In some cases there's an unsuccessful attempt at suicide.

Women have done it too, like the Lindsay Clancy case in MA and the Emily Long case in NH, although they didn't use poison.

What stands out here is the use of both poison and arson, the murder of at least one non-family member, and possibly more. This individual plans very carefully and has apparently gotten away with murder and arson for years. The use of this particular chemical is unprecedented, too. I don't know if she fits in any category... She goes beyond the family poisoner category, IMO, although the study has some relevance.

Just my opinion.

 

[katydid23]

Thank you @katydid23 for doing the research!

I also followed the Erin Patterson case closely & it was interesting to hear what her former “friends” & associates had to say about her afterwards ie highly intelligent, but sneaky, manipulative & an unpleasant character.

Yes, and she had some people fooled apparently. She had a small circle of devoted followers who stuck by her, in spite of all the evidence against her.

I feel Lucy Letby, the convicted UK baby- killer fits this category perfectly, though we have heard surprisingly little about her background or life outside of nursing.
A few vocal ‘ so-called friends’ have defended her in the press but I believe these are people who she has carefully cultivated & manipulated & doubt she has ever had any true friends.

Yes, good comparison. A nice 'caretaker' that everyone liked and respected, but it was just a mask. Behind it was an evil cold hearted nightmare.

This Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel case is interesting & it’s chilling that she has worked in restaurants….also that she claims to have been a babysitter when younger!

Intrigued as to how she gained access to this particular chemical & the knowledge on how to handle it, without poisoning herself.

I wonder if she has any laboratory/ biochemistry or pharmaceutical background & knowing it’s potential toxicity ‘acquired’ the acetylnitrile for future use?

Yes, and it reminded me of how Erin did all that research herself, about where all of the 'Death Caps' could be found, and when. And how she practiced disguising them in various recipes by dehydrating them, turning them into powder and mixing them with other foods, to hide their taste and their chewiness. She even practiced hiding non poisonous mushrooms in her kids brownies to see if they noticed.

Following with interest……

Me too.

 

[katydid23]

Could this be some kind of psychotic attention-seeking behavior? Having your daughters get sick/die sure would get you a lot of attention and sympathy from others.

It's kind of like 'Borderline Reverse Münchausen Syndrome'? Making herself the victim, and getting sympathy and attention for losing a child on Thanksgiving?

 

[Inthedetails]

Most family annihilators in the US are men, and most of the cases I've read about are men who murder their wives and children, and then themselves. In some cases there's an unsuccessful attempt at suicide.

Women have done it too, like the Lindsay Clancy case in MA and the Emily Long case in NH, although they didn't use poison.

What stands out here is the use of both poison and arson, the murder of at least one non-family member, and possibly more. This individual plans very carefully and has apparently gotten away with murder and arson for years. The use of this particular chemical is unprecedented, too. I don't know if she fits in any category... She goes beyond the family poisoner category, IMO, although the study has some relevance.

Just my opinion.

Yes, family annihalators are usually men, but what about the sub-category of poisoners? That seems like more a female weapon, but that's just a guess.

It seems that Michael was found in the house fire but LE suspects he was poisoned, not killed from fire/arson.

Investigators also believe Schmidt was poisoned, he said. 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

jmopinion

 

[Inthedetails]

It's kind of like 'Borderline Reverse Münchausen Syndrome'? Making herself the victim, and getting sympathy and attention for losing a child on Thanksgiving?

It's bizarre because didn't she realize that multiple victims falling ill who attended the same holiday party would be linked....and point to her?

And twelve people were at the party so there were witnesses that the daughters and boyfriend were in the same place, consuming the same drink. Even if they all died, there would've been witnesses.

Livis, Lacey and Pegg were among 12 people who attended a Thanksgiving meal hosted by Casper-Leinenkugel, Reeves said. Hours after the meal, she received a text from her daughter, Leela, saying that she and Pegg were vomiting and feeling unwell. Maija also had gotten sick after the meal, he said.
Detectives later learned that the three victims drank from the same bottle of wine during the gathering.

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