Google search about mushrooms leads police to murder suspect

A woman in Indiana allegedly killed her husband by having him poisonous mushroom and dumped his body in a ditch.

According to prosecutors, Katrina Fouts googled information on types of deadly mushrooms before poisoning her husband with them. Investigators found searches and screenshots on Fouts’ phone about poisonous mushrooms.

The body of 50-year-old David Fouts was found in a ditch near the couple’s home on April 24. He had cuts on his hands and duct tape residue on his wrists and ankles, court records said.

A lengthy investigation into the murder led to the conclusion that the most likely cause of death was a lethal dose of mushroom, chunks of which were found in his stomach.

On the other hand, a toxicology report proved inconclusive as a botanist told prosecutors it was not surprising that a mushroom toxin known as muscarine was not detected, noting muscarine has a half-life of about eight hours and is usually undetectable by 72 hours.

Last week, the woman was charged with murder, conspiracy, and failure to report a corpse. A family friend, Terry Hopkins, who formerly worked as a police officer, is also charged with aiding in the murder.

Police say Fouts made no effort to contact her husband or report he was missing for several days after his disappearance, and also left a trail of incriminating clues.