An Arizona woman has been recently arrested for allegedly trying to kill her estranged husband by poisoning his daily coffee for months while he used hidden cameras to catch her in the act.
The suspect, identified as Melody Felicano Johnson, was indicted by a grand jury in Tucson on counts of first-degree attempted murder, attempting to commit aggravated assault (domestic violence), and administering poison to food or drink.
Johnson entered a plea of not guilty during her arraignment conducted on Friday.
Prosecutors assert that the plot to poison her husband, Roby Johnson, who is a member of the US Air Force, originated in March when he noticed an unusual odor in his coffee. The couple, who share a child and were cohabiting while navigating divorce proceedings, were stationed in Germany at the time.
Several weeks later, Roby Johnson proceeded to investigate his suspicions by employing pool testing strips, that revealed elevated levels of chlorine within the coffee pot, as detailed in the indictment.
In May, he installed concealed surveillance cameras that allegedly captured footage of Melody Johnson pouring a substance into the coffee maker.
Reportedly, Roby Johnson disclosed to investigators that he simulated consuming the coffee until the couple returned to the United States in June, where he was stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force Base.
Subsequently, he arranged multiple concealed cameras once again to document her actions.
The recorded video footage depicted Melody Johnson “taking bleach, pouring it into a container, and subsequently transferring it into the coffee maker,” as outlined in the indictment.
Upon providing law enforcement with the recorded evidence while filing a report, an official inquiry was initiated. Roby Johnson asserted to investigators that he believed Melody Johnson aimed to cause his demise in order to secure his death benefits.
Presently, Melody Johnson is detained at Pima County Jail with a bond set at $250,000, following the persuasions of prosecutors who convinced a judge of her potential to flee, considering her recent acquisition of a residence near her family in the Philippines.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for 6 September.
