Prosecutors drop death penalty in North Carolina mother's poisoning trial

In a Henderson County courtroom on Thursday, prosecutors announced they will not seek the death penalty against Gudrun Linda Casper-Leinenkugel.

The North Carolina woman stands accused of a chilling series of poisonings, including the murder of her own 32-year-old daughter, Leela Jean Livis.

Assistant District Attorney John Douglas Mundy confirmed the trial will proceed as non-capital, a decision revealed during a mandatory hearing for cases eligible for ultimate punishment.

The allegations centre on a 2025 Thanksgiving gathering that turned tragic. Authorities claim Casper-Leinenkugel laced a wine bottle with acetonitrile—a chemical that turns into cyanide inside the body.

Three guests, including Livis, fell ill after drinking from the bottle; Livis died the following day. Her father, Travis Peterson, described the loss as a “gut punch.”

The investigation further unearthed evidence allegedly linking the defendant to the 2007 death of Michael Schmidt, whose passing was originally attributed to accidental toxicity.

Casper-Leinenkugel, an entrepreneur known for running local Asheville coffee shops and pubs, now faces two counts of first-degree murder and several attempted murder charges.

Her surviving daughter, Mia Lacey, who was also an alleged target of the poisoning, was present in court for the announcement.

Despite the gravity of the claims, defence solicitor Paul Bidwell stated that his client “firmly denies the criminal allegations against her and intends to defend herself vigorously.”

With the death penalty off the table, the focus now shifts to her next hearing scheduled for late April.