Investigators say the wine at the holiday meal was tainted with acetonitrile, a chemical that turns into cyanide in the body.
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — A western North Carolina mother is charged with murder after investigators say she poisoned a bottle of wine served at a Thanksgiving dinner, killing her 32-year-old daughter and injuring two other guests. Gudrun Linda Jean Casper-Leinenkugel, 52, was arrested Jan. 16 and is being held without bond in the Henderson County Detention Center.
According to court records and arrest warrants, the alleged poisoning happened during a family gathering on Nov. 27, 2025. Only three people who drank from the same bottle became ill, and one of them — Leela Jean Livis, the defendant’s daughter — died on Dec. 1. Prosecutors say the wine was laced with acetonitrile, an industrial solvent that metabolizes into cyanide and can cause delayed toxicity. The case has drawn attention because detectives say new evidence also links Casper-Leinenkugel to an older death from 2007. She faces counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and distributing a prohibited food or beverage as the investigation continues.
Warrants filed in Henderson County District Court state that Livis and two others — identified as Livis’ half-sister, Mia Lacey, and Lacey’s boyfriend, Richard Pegg — drank from the same bottle during the Thanksgiving meal. All three later showed signs of poisoning, investigators wrote. Livis died four days after the dinner. Detectives say searches of the defendant’s home turned up acetonitrile and that digital records showed queries about the chemical’s dangers. A former bar manager who worked for Casper-Leinenkugel years earlier described her as “weird” and the workplace as “unpredictable,” adding, “Was she somebody I would have thought I’d seen in the paper for murder? No.” The comments were part of broader community reactions as word of the charges spread.
In addition to the daughter’s death, authorities have charged Casper-Leinenkugel with first-degree murder in the 2007 death of Michael Schmidt in Henderson County. Investigators say forensic and case-file reviews during the current probe connected the defendant to that earlier case. Officials have not publicly detailed the complete evidence in the 2007 file, and some investigative steps remain sealed. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has said the Thanksgiving incident triggered a multi-agency effort involving local detectives and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Prosecutors also noted in open court that only those who drank the wine became ill and that residues consistent with acetonitrile were recovered.
Public records show Casper-Leinenkugel once owned or managed several bars and restaurants in the Asheville area, including a now-closed pub that drew attention in 2016 over payroll disputes. No criminal charges arose from those business complaints at the time. The daughter who died, Livis, worked in payroll at Western Carolina University, according to professional listings reviewed by reporters. Neighbors and former employees told local stations they were surprised by the arrest but said they were following the case closely. Authorities have not released toxicology numbers, the exact quantity of the chemical detected, or a full list of physical exhibits, citing the active investigation.
Casper-Leinenkugel faces two counts of first-degree murder — one in Livis’ death and one in Schmidt’s 2007 death — along with two counts of attempted first-degree murder tied to Lacey and Pegg. She is also charged with three counts of distributing a prohibited food or beverage, a North Carolina offense that covers tampering that causes serious injury or death. A judge denied bond after her Jan. 16 arrest. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, when prosecutors are expected to outline more details from the warrants and any lab reports received to date. Court officials said additional hearings would be set after that appearance, including any indictment proceedings.
At the center of the case is acetonitrile, a colorless liquid used in manufacturing and laboratory work that the body can convert into cyanide. Investigators said they believe the wine was dosed before it was poured at the dinner table. Family members and friends have left flowers and notes at a small memorial outside a Hendersonville home connected to the gathering. “Leela was kind and steady,” a former coworker said by phone, recalling her attention to detail in payroll work. A neighbor on the same street said they saw law enforcement at the residence in the days after Thanksgiving and again in January when the arrest was made.
As of Sunday, authorities say the investigation is active and more interviews are planned. Detectives are reviewing additional contacts the defendant may have had at past businesses and in social circles. The next public step in the case is the probable cause hearing on Feb. 10 in Henderson County court, where the judge will determine whether the felony charges advance. No trial date has been set.
Author note: Last updated February 1, 2026.