Woman poisoned husband at urging of person claiming to be soap opera star, police say
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TOWNSEND, Mass. (WCVB) — A Townsend, Massachusetts, woman is facing an attempted murder charge after investigators claim she tried to kill her husband with tainted soup at the urging of a person claiming to be soap opera star Thorsten Kaye.
“What they say is wrong. Because I’m a wonderful cook. My son’s gone to culinary school. I learned from the best — my mom,” Roxanne Doucette told WCVB. “And I did not try to poison my husband.”
The investigation began on Dec. 3 when a woman contacted police with concerns her mother may have poisoned her father, who was currently hospitalized.
Nicole Heath told police that while she and her 64-year-old mother, Roxanne Doucette, were in the hospital room of her 73-year-old father, Paul Doucette, at Nashoba Valley Medical Center, she saw messages on her mother’s phone that she felt indicated she may have poisoned her father.
Heath said her mother has been messaging someone she believed was the “The Bold and the Beautiful” actor, and that person had scammed her into giving them money. Heath said as she was making screenshots of the financial scam messages to give to police, she saw a series of more disturbing messages.
According to police documents, a message from “Thorsten” on Dec. 1 stated: “You have to get rid of your husband honey. I need you so much,” to which Roxanne Doucette replied she needed to do some thinking.
Later that day, at 2:34 p.m., police documents say Roxanne Doucette responded, “Making an amazing soup. Special potion. He will be hungry when he gets back. Just enough for him.”
At 4:26 p.m., Roxanne Doucette says, “Hubby got back not feeling well. Maybe I can collect life insurance,” according to police documents.
“Thorsten” responds, “Honey, when will that be?” to which Roxanne Doucette responds, “Don’t know,” according to police documents.
Roxanne Doucette then called 911 at about 5:11 p.m., reporting her husband was unresponsive. He was taken to Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
The series of ominous messages raised Heath’s suspicions, and when her father regained consciousness, she asked him about what happened the day he fell ill.
“Paul stated that Roxanne made him soup, but that it wasn’t very good. He stated that it tasted bitter,” according to the police report.
Heath contacted police about her concerns and went to the police station with her mother to speak with investigators.
Roxanne Doucette said she had not tried to hurt her husband and admitted to talking via text message to a person claiming to be the soap star. She also stated she had recently been scammed out of $8,000.
After talking to both women, officers attempted to seize Roxanne Doucette’s iPhone and iPad, but she repeatedly refused. When officers tried to take her into custody for interfering with a police investigation, she allegedly kicked an officer in the crotch.
Roxanne Doucette was charged with intimidation of a witness, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer. She also faces a charge of attempted murder.
Police said Roxanne Doucette was subsequently arrested and charged with violating a protective order after sending a letter to her husband, which she was barred from doing.
The hospital’s toxicology test on Paul Doucette came back negative, but it only tested for opioids, cocaine and alcohol, according to police documents.
Roxanne Doucette told WCVB that she would “never try to poison anybody” and thinks her husband of 45 years may have suffered a transient ischemic attack or a mini-stroke.
“I would never try to poison anybody. I mean, did daycare for 15 years. I had a licensed daycare. I’ve done nursing and I have taken care of people,” she said. “I would not hurt anyone.”
Roxanne Doucette said she is no longer talking to the person on Facebook and no longer has her phone or tablet.
“(‘Thorsten’ was) saying that they loved me and they wanted me to leave my husband, but I had no intentions of leaving my husband. I love my husband very much,” she said.
Roxanne Doucette will return to court on Jan. 11.