April 2013 ricin letters

"2013 ricin letters" redirects here. For the ricin-laced letters sent in May 2013, see Shannon Richardson.
2013 ricin letters

Ricin
Location Washington, District of Columbia, US
Date

April 15–17, 2013

[1]
Target Sen. Roger Wicker, President Barack Obama, Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland
Attack type
 Bioterrorism, attempted poisoning, attempted assassination
Weapons Ricin
Deaths 0
Non-fatal injuries
 0
Perpetrator Everett Dutschke

On April 15, 2013, an envelope that preliminarily tested positive for ricin, a highly toxic protein, was intercepted at the US Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington, D.C. According to reports, the envelope was addressed to the office of Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker.[2] On April 17, 2013, an envelope addressed to President of the United States Barack Obama preliminarily tested positive for ricin.[3]

Both letters, which were mailed from Memphis, Tennessee,[4] included the phrases "No one wanted to listen to me before. There are still 'Missing Pieces.' Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die. This must stop. To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance." and "I am KC and I approve this message."[5][6][7]

A third letter mailed to a Mississippi judge, Lee County Justice Court Judge Sadie Holland, that was received and opened on April 10, contained similar language and was sent for testing.[4] The letters tested positive for ricin during FBI testing.[8]

Early suspect released

On April 17, 2013, FBI agents detained a Corinth, Mississippi, man on suspicion of mailing the ricin-laced letters.[4][5][9] All charges were dropped however, and he was released on April 23, 2013. Federal investigators reported that they could find no evidence linking him to the letters.[10] An FBI agent testified that no ricin or precursors were found in the man's home, nor did a preliminary forensic analysis of his computer reveal anything related to ricin. The defense attorney claimed in court that his client was being framed, possibly by a man with whom he had been feuding online.[11]

Second arrest

On April 23, agents in hazardous materials suits searched the home of a Tupelo, Mississippi, man in connection with the ricin investigation.[12] On April 27, this man, identified as Everett Dutschke, was arrested in connection with the case.[13] Dutschke was out on $25,000 bail for unrelated state criminal charges of April 1, 2013.[14] Under suspicion since the release of the prior suspect, Dutschke denied the allegations through his lawyer.[14] Saying that new information had been discovered in the case, authorities who have had his house under surveillance arrested Dutschke in the early hours of April 27.[14] Later that day, Dutschke was charged with attempted use of a biological weapon.[15] On June 3, 2013, Dutschke was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts.[16] He was indicted for producing and using the deadly toxin as a weapon, and using the mail to threaten President Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Lee County Judge Sadie Holland.[16]

In May 2014, Dutschke pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=D6zPDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=i+am+kc+ricin+april+15&source=bl&ots=uxf-lzrATh&sig=Dm36epgGsaKtbTUT2iNMZhFjG5E&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiE4ra1kePOAhWGGh4KHaEADQ0Q6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=i%20am%20kc%20ricin%20april%2015&f=true. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ Brooks, Mike; Bash, Dana (April 17, 2013). "Envelope tests positive for ricin at Washington mail facility". CNN. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Letter sent to Obama tests positive for ricin, officials say". NBC News. April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Hughes, Brian (April 17, 2013). "Feds arrest suspect in ricin-laced letters sent to Obama, senator". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Hartman, Rachel Rose; Olivier Knox (April 17, 2013). "Authorities arrest Mississippi man in ricin letters to Obama, senator". Yahoo News. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  6. ↑ Williams, Pete; Welker, Kristen (April 17, 2013). "Feds arrest suspect in ricin-positive letters sent to Obama, senator". NBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  7. ↑ Mohr, Holbrook; Sainz, Adrian (April 18, 2013). "Family Says Accused Ricin Mailer Is Mentally Ill". ABC News. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ "FBI searches for clues in ricin investigation". CNN. April 26, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  9. ↑ Smith, Matt; Cratty, Carol (April 17, 2013). "Feds: Mississippi man arrested in ricin scare". CNN. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  10. ↑ Mears, Bill (April 23, 2013). "Ricin suspect freed, marshals say". CNN. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  11. ↑ Harris, Andrew; Russell, Marty (April 23, 2013). "Ricin-Letter Suspect Released From Mississippi Jail". Bloomberg News. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  12. ↑ "FBI searches for clues in ricin investigation". CNN. April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Dutschke arrested in ricin case". WTVA. April 27, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 Ward, Robbie (April 27, 2013). "Authorities arrest Mississippi man in ricin case". Reuters. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Martial arts instructor charged with attempted use of biological weapon". Chicago Tribune. April 27, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  16. 1 2 Cratty, Carol (4 June 2013). "Mississippi man indicted in case of ricin letters to Obama, others - CNN.com". CNN. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Man who sent Obama ricin sentenced". POLITICO.
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