The Department of Homeland Security warns that domestic partners are increasingly using chemical and biological toxins to harm loved ones, documenting 17 cases since 2014 and at least 11 deaths. The DHS bulletin highlights convictions and pending trials — including a Colorado dentist sentenced to life for poisoning his wife and a Utah author charged in a fentanyl death. Commonly used substances include antifreeze, eye-drop chemicals, fentanyl and cyanide. The report urges better awareness, regulation and forensic support to protect victims and first responders.
DHS Bulletin: Domestic Partners Increasingly Use Household Toxins — 17 Cases, 11 Deaths Since 2014
The Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)(Andrew Harrer)
The Department of Homeland Security has warned that attacks by domestic partners using chemical and biological toxins have risen in recent years, often relying on common household substances and easily obtained chemicals. A DHS bulletin, circulated to law enforcement in early January by the Intelligence Division of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office, documents 17 attempted or successful poisonings since 2014 that have been linked to at least 11 deaths.
High-Profile Cases Highlight Growing Trend
The bulletin highlights several cases that illustrate the trend. In one, Colorado dentist James Craig was convicted in July of contaminating his wife’s protein shakes with a mixture of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient found in some eye drops. Angela Craig was hospitalized after a severe seizure on March 15, 2023, and died three days later. Prosecutors said Craig had researched poisons online, purchased potassium cyanide and delivered it to his dental practice in the weeks before her death; he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The report also notes the case of Utah author Kouri Richins, who is charged with spiking her husband’s drink in 2022 with a fatal dose of fentanyl and is due to stand trial later this month. These cases underscore how easily accessible substances and online information can be used to facilitate domestic poisonings.
Common Agents, Risks, and Challenges
DHS identifies commonly used agents in domestic poisonings as antifreeze (ethylene glycol), eye-drop solutions containing tetrahydrozoline, fentanyl, and traditional poisons such as cyanide and ricin. The agency warns that these substances can pose broader public-safety hazards if they contaminate air, water or surfaces, and they can disperse unpredictably — potentially harming children, bystanders or emergency personnel who were not the intended targets.
“While this case is a recent illustration, similar incidents involving the use of toxic substances in domestic settings have been reported in other states, highlighting the persistent risk to public safety and the challenges faced by first responders,” the bulletin states.
DHS attributes the increase in such crimes to several factors, including the wide availability of information online about toxins and methods, and the relative ease with which these agents can be concealed or contained for use in private settings. The bulletin calls for increased awareness, stronger regulation where appropriate, and improved forensic capabilities to detect and investigate these crimes.
What Authorities Recommend: improve training and protective protocols for first responders, expand forensic testing capabilities for chemical agents, and raise public awareness about the dangers of household chemicals and the signs of poisoning.
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