Who is Sarah Scheffer? Missouri teacher caught on camera poisoning husband’s smoothie

Missouri high school art teacher Sarah Scheffer, 37, faces charges of attempted murder for allegedly poisoning her husband’s smoothie, caught on surveillance footage.

Who is Sarah Scheffer?

Art teacher Sarah Scheffer, 37, from Fairwater in Cardiff, has been sentenced to more than four years for terrorism offences after sharing extreme right-wing propaganda videos. Scheffer was arrested on November 30, 2022, and charged with first-degree attempted murder and armed criminal action, as detailed in a felony complaint from Cole County Circuit Court.

The allegations state that Scheffer’s husband experienced severe symptoms like extreme fatigue, confusion, blurred vision, cotton mouth, and nausea on eight occasions after consuming food or drinks provided by her. Suspecting foul play, the husband confronted Scheffer on January 1, 2023, after detecting a bitter taste in a drink she gave him. Scheffer initially claimed to have urinated in the beverage and later said she added an industrial-strength adhesive.

Following this incident, the husband installed a security camera in the kitchen. Subsequently, he discovered a bowl containing a root labeled “lily of the field” on Scheffer’s desk. Surveillance footage allegedly captured Scheffer adding this root to a blender as she prepared a smoothie for her husband.

Upon presenting the incriminating video to the police, Scheffer reportedly confessed to poisoning her husband using the poisonous flower “lily of the valley,” known for containing cardiac glycosides that can affect heart rate. She admitted to intending harm, acknowledging the potential lethality of ingesting the flower and the illegal nature of her actions.

Scheffer, an art and design teacher at Calvary Lutheran High School, has been placed on leave following her arrest. The school, informed by the Jefferson City Police Department of the criminal matter, emphasized that the alleged conduct was outside of Scheffer’s association with the school and did not involve students or other school personnel.

The accused is currently incarcerated at Cole County Jail without bail, and her court date is yet to be scheduled. The case underscores the challenges of countering extremism and highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in complex investigations.