ROCK COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — Prosecutors in Rock County filed attempted homicide charges Thursday against a man and a woman who were arrested in what prosecutors say was a plot to poison two of the man's former love interests.
Court records show Paul VanDuyne Jr. and Andrea Whitaker are each charged with six felonies: attempted first-degree intentional homicide (three counts), aggravated battery (one count), first-degree recklessly endangering safety (one count), and stalking (one count).
Each of the charges has two modifiers: use of a dangerous weapon and PTAC, as party to a crime.
During Whitaker's bail hearing in Dane County on Wednesday, Dane County Assistant District Attorney William Brown said on two occasions, Van Duyne broke into a woman's car while she was in the parking lot of Costco in Middleton and put cyanide in her water bottle.
Brown said VanDuyne Jr. tried something similar with a separate woman in Rock County.
VanDuyne Jr. was arrested Sunday night when he arrived at the second woman's home in Rock County.
Whitaker was arrested Monday. During her bail hearing Wednesday, the court commissioner issued a $750,000 cash bail.
Brown said VanDuyne Jr. and Whitaker had been dating.
VanDuyne Jr. and Whitaker are expected to appear in Dane County Court on Friday. No charges have been filed in Dane County against either of the two, as of Thursday night.
Investigators searched three homes in Madison as part of this investigation, which involved the use of Madison's hazardous materials response team.
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