In Tucson, Arizona, a woman has been arrested for allegedly attempting to poison her Air Force husband by pouring bleach into his coffee maker. Melody Felicano Johnson, 39, is facing charges of domestic violence attempted first-degree homicide, domestic violence attempted aggravated assault, and adding poison to food/drink. The couple has a child together, and they were going through a divorce at the time of the incident.
According to authorities, the husband first became suspicious of his coffee’s taste in March 2023, shortly after being stationed in Germany. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, he continued to drink the coffee despite its unpleasant flavor. Eventually, he purchased pool chemical testing strips to analyze the water in his coffee pot. While the tap water showed normal results, the coffee pot water exhibited high levels of chlorine. Convinced that someone was tampering with his coffee, the husband set up a camera in his home, capturing his wife pouring something into the coffee pot. He decided not to report the incident while still in Germany.
Upon returning to the United States, the couple stayed in temporary housing at the Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. On July 5th, the husband set up another hidden camera, which allegedly recorded Johnson pouring a substance into the water reservoir of the coffee maker. The following day, he reported the incident to the Tucson police, presenting the video as evidence. However, due to the unclear nature of the footage, no immediate action was taken.
Determined to gather more evidence, the husband purchased additional secret cameras, disguising them as fire alarms. He strategically placed them in the laundry room, where the bleach was kept, directly above the coffee maker, and along the path between the two locations. Videos from these vantage points reportedly showed Johnson taking the bleach, pouring it into a container, and then adding it to the coffee maker. The husband claimed ownership of the coffee maker and stated that he was the only person who drank from it. He suspected that his wife’s motive was to secure life insurance benefits.
Johnson was subsequently arrested at the couple’s home. She exercised her right to an attorney, declining to answer any questions from investigators. A search warrant was executed, and officers claimed to have found a liquid with a bleach-like smell in the coffee maker. Police recommended that she be considered a high bond risk due to her family ties in the Philippines and recent property purchase there.
The accused, Melody Felicano Johnson, remains in custody at the Pima County Jail without bond. As the legal proceedings unfold, it will be crucial to determine the motive behind Johnson’s actions and the potential impact on their ongoing divorce and custody arrangements.