An Arizona woman has been accused of trying to kill her husband after video footage caught her sneaking bleach into his morning coffee.
Melody Felicano Johnson allegedly poured the toxic substance into husband Roby Johnson's coffee on multiple occasions.
Roby believes that she was doing it to try and collect his death benefits.
She was indicted by a grand jury on charges of attempted first-degree murder, attempting to commit aggravated assault and poisoning food or drink.
Advert
Johnson, a US Air Force worker, was stationed in Germany in March 2023 - along with his wife - when he noticed his morning coffee started to taste 'very bad'.
His wife would prep the coffee machine the night before so he just had to turn the machine on in order to get his morning caffeine fix.
Johnson started to get suspicious of Melody, but still drank the 'foul' tasting coffee for around two or three weeks before investigating.
He then purchased test strips to compare the pH of his coffee to the water running from the faucet.
According to police reports, when he dipped the strips into his morning brew, they showed 'high levels of chlorine.'
Roby then decided to set up cameras and pretended to continue drinking the allegedly poisonous coffee. Video footage showed Melody pouring an unknown substance into the coffee pot.
Upon his return to the States in July, he set up further cameras around the home — one over the coffee machine, one in the laundry room where the bleach is kept, and another showing the route from the laundry room to the coffee maker.
After collecting footage of Melody allegedly taking trips to the laundry room before heading to the kitchen and pouring bleach directly into the coffee pot, Johnson took his evidence to the police who arrested Melody at their home on July 18.
Melody refused to answer police questions and demanded that she get an attorney.
A search warrant reported that the coffee pot smelt like bleach.
The documents also revealed that Johnson thought she was trying to kill him 'to collect death benefits.'
The couple were going through a divorce at the time but were still living together to care for their child.
Melody pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment held last month.
She is being held at the Pima County Jail on a bond of $250,000 (£205,000) after the judge deemed her a flight risk due to her recently buying a home in the Philippines.
Her next court appearance is in early November.
Bec Oakes