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

[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).

Of this list, I'm leaning toward "Avoidance of Confrontation."

At first I thought the crimes were financially motivated, and I still think so. But I think the murders happened to avoid financial confrontation.

My armchair analysis, worth nothing.

I am looking forward to hearing more about Gudrun/Linda's past. I wouldn't be surprised if she provides courtroom drama - I'm getting a Sarah Boone vibe.

jmopinion

 

[katydid23]

Seething resentment that built up over the years ?

That is what Erin, the mushroom killer', had going on. She had a deep seething hatred for her in-laws---but she pretended to like them, and did a bunch of weird things to lure them to her house for lunch, by telling them lies---telling them she had a cancer diagnosis, and she wanted them to come to lunch, to help her figure out how to tell her children.

She was a con artist---preyed on their kindness and goodness, knowing they would come to help their grandchildren through this family crisis---which was all a lie ...designed to get them to the poisonous luncheon.

After the in-laws had already eaten the Death Caps, and Erin KNEW they were all going to die, she began talking about her own FAKE cancer diagnosis. And the 4 poison victims sat and prayed FOR ERIN, to heal Erin, while Erin knew they were all about to die a painful death very soon. She had them needlessly praying over her, AS IF she was facing death. It was so sick and twisted, imo.

Seething resentment, which was hidden beneath a mask of fake sweetness and caring.

 

[Inthedetails]

I hope a reporter gets interested. When did she change her name? Has she been involved with legal actions? What are her financial entanglements? Where has she lived, what work did she do, what businesses has she owned? What do people who know her say about her?

This case is intriguing - someone will pick it up, right?

jmo

 

[Stunned]

Seething resentment that built up over the years ?

Over what?

 

[Stunned]

I hope a reporter gets interested. When did she change her name? Has she been involved with legal actions? What are her financial entanglements? Where has she lived, what work did she do, what businesses has she owned? What do people who know her say about her?

This case is intriguing - someone will pick it up, right?

jmo

I'd be amazed if someone from around here did. They are not really known for their investigating journalism. IMO

 

[Megnut]

Over what?

Anything. Injustice collectors, if she's one, have no trouble finding and inventing injustices.

JMO

 

[katydid23]

Over what?

It seems there was a lot of family dysfunction. Her two daughters had different dads, and one of the girls was raised by her father, not Gudrun. She was also a con artist who lived an erratic lifestyle. So I bet there were many imagined 'slights' that she held on to, and they festered, and grew. imo

 

[Inthedetails]

I'd be amazed if someone from around here did. They are not really known for their investigating journalism. IMO

The lack of interest is surprising to me, even here on WS. Maybe once some hearings get going things will pick up.

Or maybe there are only a few of us intrigued by a repeat poisoner. I'm doing what research I can on my own but I'm not skilled at finding old court records.

jmopinion

 

[ApartoftheNarrative]

The lack of interest is surprising to me, even here on WS. Maybe once some hearings get going things will pick up.

Or maybe there are only a few of us intrigued by a repeat poisoner. I'm doing what research I can on my own but I'm not skilled at finding old court records.

jmopinion

I honestly think it’s the thread title that is causing the lack of interest here. At least in my head, I did not click on it right away as it was not something that usually peaks my interest. I am very glad I did click on it this evening however. Such an interesting case. I have been racking my brain for another thread title but nothing has come to me yet.

 

[huckleberryhound]

I think this is a very unusual and interesting crime. Poisoning a bottle of wine at a holiday dinner is such an unpredictable way to try to kill a specific person, you couldn't really know who would drink it or how much . Someone could take a sip, think it tastes bad and dump it out. I wonder what she thought was going to happen, did she think it would kill everyone who drank any of it? or maybe she thought it would just make people sick and it would just be chalked up to some sort of food poisoning. If her daughter had survived this like the other family members did, I think it's unlikely she would ever have been caught.

(And I think her name should be in the thread title. IMO)

 

[housemouse323z]

This article from 1999 mentions her (Linda Casper in the article) and she helped to run Bean Werks in Asheville with her current partner Jeff Bosch

 

[cujenn81]

This article from 1999 mentions her (Linda Casper in the article) and she helped to run Bean Werks in Asheville with her current partner Jeff Bosch

Wow! Says she was a volunteer firefighter and sold log homes in 1999.

 

[Inthedetails]

This article from 1999 mentions her (Linda Casper in the article) and she helped to run Bean Werks in Asheville with her current partner Jeff Bosch

Thank you, and welcome to Websleuths!

edited to add: Okay, that article was not what I was expecting (and I had no expectation). I'm telling you, this case is crazy and it's not even started yet.

 

[Inthedetails]

Wow! Says she was a volunteer firefighter and sold log homes in 1999.

Those weren't the only wow details!

The article lets us know what drew Gudrun/Linda from Wisconsin to North Carolina. She and her then-husband SS were looking to connect with another poly couple in NC. Wonder if they did and what happened to them.

We also learned that Gudrun/Linda grew up in a poly family (or so she told the reporter).

jmopinion

 

[iamshadow21]

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

When you actually look at the numbers, women are more likely to use poison as a weapon, BUT men are way more likely to commit murder, SO more men still use poison to kill somebody.

The difference between fractions/percentages of a figure and actual numbers.

MOO

 

[Inthedetails]

When you actually look at the numbers, women are more likely to use poison as a weapon, BUT men are way more likely to commit murder, SO more men still use poison to kill somebody.

The difference between fractions/percentages of a figure and actual numbers.

MOO

Makes sense! Thank you.

Now that we know she was in poly relationships, I am thinking the potential for more victims has increased. She seems to poison people she knows rather than strangers (which she could also do, given she owned a bar).

jmo

 

[Spectrix]

When you actually look at the numbers, women are more likely to use poison as a weapon, BUT men are way more likely to commit murder, SO more men still use poison to kill somebody.

The difference between fractions/percentages of a figure and actual numbers.

Here are some figures to back up what @iamshadow21 states above.

Woman are roughly eight times more likely than men to use poison in a murder:

Poisoning (Source: Washington Post)
Women...2.5 %
Men.......0.3 %

--
Men are roughly seven times more likely to commit murder in the first place:

All Murders (Source: prison.policy.org)
Women...12.2 %
Men.......87.8 %

Going by these particular figures, it still puts woman a small fraction ahead of men in total numbers of poison related murders.

Regardless - I feel a little ashamed on behalf of my gender. Do we really need to be so murdery?

--

 

[Inthedetails]

Here are some figures to back what @iamshadow21 states above.

Woman are roughly eight times more likely than men to use poison in a murder:

Poisoning (Source: Washington Post)
Women 2.5 %
Men 0.3 %

All Murders (Source: prison.policy.org)
Men 87.8 %
Women 12.2 %

Thanks. I like data!

I suspect she is a serial con-artist. Is she a serial killer too?

jmo

 

[Spectrix]

Thanks. I like data!

I suspect she is a serial con-artist. Is she a serial killer too?

I have a feeling that these particular murders she's charged with might just be the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Inthedetails]

I have a feeling that these particular murders she's charged with might just be the tip of the iceberg.

That's what I'm thinking too.

Someone wake up the North Carolina press. This has potential to be a hot story for the first to break it.

jmopinion