The two people arrested in a series of hazardous materials investigations in Madison this week have also been charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide in Rock County in connection with the same series of events.
What to know about alleged Madison poisoning plot
Paul D. Van Duyne Jr., 43, and Andrea Lynn Whitaker, 41, both of Madison, were each charged Thursday with three counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, aggravated battery, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, and stalking resulting in bodily harm, all with use of a dangerous weapon.
Authorities in Dane County said the pair planned to poison two women Van Duyne had dated by putting cyanide in their water bottles. One of the women lived in Dane County, while the other lived in Rock County. The relationship between Van Duyne and Whitaker isn’t clear, but Whitaker was one of the first people Van Duyne called from jail, according to court records.
The investigation led authorities to call in hazmat teams while trying to serve warrants Monday and Tuesday at the Madison properties where Van Duyne and Whitaker lived, in the 1400 block of West Skyline Drive, the 100 block of North Spooner Street and the 5600 block of Schroeder Road. Seven agents with the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation were hospitalized in the searches. Their conditions are unknown.
Authorities: Couple tried to poison man's ex-girlfriends with cyanide, leading to hazmat responses
Van Duyne lives at the Spooner Street address but was also associated with the Skyline Drive address, while Whitaker lived at the Schroeder Road address. Van Duyne was booked into the Dane County Jail Monday on tentative charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and stalking, according to sheriff’s records. Whitaker was ordered held in the Dane County Jail on $750,000 bail Wednesday on tentative charges of harboring or aiding a felon.
Both are due to be charged in Dane County on Friday.
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