WASHBURN COUNTY -- Charges have been filed against two for an attempted homicide in Spooner, WI following a report received by the Spooner Police Department that they were attempting to kill an individual by poisoning her.
Robert Meyers of Spooner
Robert Meyers, of Spooner, WI, is charged with Class A Felony Attempt 1st Degree Intentional Homicide (Party to a Crime), Class I Felony Intentionally Subject an Individual at Risk to Abuse - Likely to Cause Bodily Harm, Possession of THC (Marijuana), and Misdemeanor Possess Drug Paraphernalia.
Joleen Hanson of Spooner
Joleen Hanson, of Spooner, WI, is facing charges of Class A Felony Attempt 1st Degree Intentional Homicide (Party to a Crime); Class I Felony Intentionally Subject an Individual at Risk to Abuse - Likely to Cause Bodily Harm, Misdemeanor Battery, and Misdemeanor Neglecting a Child (Specified Harm Did Not Occur).
According to a criminal complaint filed in Washburn County Circuit Court on August 17, 2018, Spooner Police Department received a report on August 6, 2018, that Meyers and Hanson had been attempting to poison Meyers’ wife over the course of a few months.
Interviews were conducted with the individual who reported the alleged poisoning, who stated that since April, Meyers and Hanson had been mixing items such as eye drops, antifungal cream, and ant poison into drinks that they would then serve to Meyers’ wife.
The most recent attempt is alleged to have occurred on August 6, 2018, in Spooner, WI, at Bob’s Auto where Meyers and Hanson were residing along with the victim, Meyers’ wife, and a minor child.
Officers were told that Hanson purchased antifungal cream and ant poison in Spooner, WI, and then allegedly mixed those into an alcoholic drink which was served to Meyers’ wife.
The criminal complaint goes on to state that the victim has health issues which cause her to need constant care and assistance with daily hygiene and that she uses a wheelchair and a walker.
The individual who reported the attempted poisoning also told investigating officers that Hanson and Meyers would also feed Meyers’ wife moldy food and that on at least one occasion, after she had fallen, they left her for alone for ‘a couple of hours’ before helping her and taking her to the Emergency Room.
After law enforcement made contact with the victim and transported her for medical care, a search warrant was conducted at Bob’s Auto. During the execution of the search warrant, officers located numerous items of drug paraphernalia, nearly 150 grams of suspected marijuana, several grams of suspected marijuana seeds, and a bottle of eye drops.
When investigating officers interviewed Joleen Hanson, she stated that she provided daily care to the victim, Meyers’ wife, including helping her walk and bathe. She went on to state that Meyers asked her to purchase the liquid ant killer, antifungal liquid and alcohol because Meyers wanted to ‘ease [the victim’s] pain’, however, she later stated that the purpose of this was to "kill [Meyers] wife.
According to the criminal complaint, in a written statement, Hanson said that in March 2018, Meyers told her that he wanted to kill his wife. Hanson said that since March, she and Meyers had approximately 30 conversations about killing the victim and about what to use to kill her.
Hanson went on in her written statement saying that Meyers’ wife had a ‘huge insurance policy and that “we” would be really well off if she passed away. Hanson’s statement continued saying that Meyers told her he loved her and that he wanted to marry her as soon as his wife was dead.
The criminal complaint also states that Meyers and Hanson were providing unsanitary living conditions for his wife and the minor child, including allowing animal feces to accumulate and not providing sufficient food or safe shelter to the minor child. Meyers and Hanson also allegedly were physically abusive to both the victim (Meyers’ wife) and the minor child.
If convicted as charged, Meyers and Hanson each face a possible maximum penalty of 60 years confinement in state prison for the charge of Class A Felony Attempt 1st Degree Intentional Homicide (Party to a Crime).
Online circuit court records show that Meyers and Hanson were each placed on a $1 Million Cash Bail Bond when they appeared on August 8, 2018, for bail bond hearings. Initial appearances have been scheduled for August 20, 2018, for both Hanson and Meyers.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Aug 19, 2018 9:29 am CDT
