Man and Woman Accused of Attempted Murder Using Poison on Women Met Through Dating Apps

A man from Wisconsin and his girlfriend are facing serious charges after allegedly trying to kill two women by poisoning their personal belongings using a variety of toxic substances.

Paul VanDuyne Jr., aged 43, a Princeton University graduate and former mechanical engineer, and Andrea Whitaker, 41, a pharmacology student, reportedly plotted to harm women he briefly dated by lacing their vehicles and water bottles with dangerous chemicals, including cyanide, thallium (a banned rodenticide), and ground rosary pea seeds.

One victim, from Rock County, remains wheelchair-bound after an earlier poisoning that introduced thallium into her system. She was hospitalized last month after high levels of thallium were detected, with doctors stating that such a contamination could only be intentional.

Her vehicle was noticed by service technicians to emit a foul smell resembling rotten eggs, and a storage tote containing an unknown, noxious substance was found in her car. Authorities now believe this substance to be hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas.

The second victim, from Dane County, recounted going on two dates with VanDuyne over a year ago before she ended their relationship. She later discovered her water had tasted terrible after drinking it from her parked car, which was also linked to a break-in and subsequent poisoning attempt. She described van Duyne’s actions as delusional, driven by jealousy and unfounded beliefs that she was their romantic partner.

Evidence uncovered during the investigation included multiple vials of poison and rosary peas from VanDuyne’s vehicle and home, which also contained a seed grinder used for preparing toxic seeds. The authorities also recovered a minivan associated with VanDuyne that had been used in the crimes.

Both VanDuyne and Whitaker are currently detained pending trial, with bail set at $10 million and $4 million respectively. Their next court appearances are scheduled for August 4 for VanDuyne and July 2 for Whitaker.