70-year-old wife caught poisoning husband’s coffee with roach killer, NY officials say

A woman in New York faces several charges after police say she was caught on video poisoning her husband’s coffee last week.

On Jan. 12, video surveillance captured Suncha Tinevra, 70, squeezing a “white powdery substance” from a bottle into her husband’s coffee at their Queens home, according to a news release from District Attorney Melinda Katz.

Tinevra got the bottle — which had a red cap and yellow label — from a cabinet under her sink, the release said. She’s accused of spiking her husband’s coffee on two or three separate occasions.

Police found the bottle under the sink Jan. 14 and discovered it was 100% boric acid, which is used to kill roaches, ants and other insects.

When ingested, boric acid can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea, as well as skin rash and skin loss, according to the National Pesticide Information Center. Other symptoms, including coughing, shortness of breath and nosebleeds have also been reported.

Officials say Tinevra’s husband was sickened.

“Domestic violence is not limited to mental and physical abuse. The defendant in this case allegedly used deception to sicken her spouse,” Katz said in the release. “The victim did become sick, but thankfully did not die..”

Tinevra was arrested and faces several charges, including attempted assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

She’s due back in court on March 21 and could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

This story was originally published January 17, 2021 at 7:32 AM with the headline "70-year-old wife caught poisoning husband’s coffee with roach killer, NY officials say."