An Arizona woman accused of trying to poison her husband’s coffee with bleach was sentenced Friday, CNN reported.
Melody Felicano Johnson, 40, initially charged with attempted first-degree murder, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to two counts of the lesser felony of adding poison or a harmful substance to food or drink. Although Judge Javier Chon-Lopez could have sentenced Johnson to up to two years in prison for each count, he opted for three years of probation, according to CNN. The judge took into account her nearly one year in custody after being unable to afford the $250,000 bond, according to the outlet. Her sentence also reportedly includes mandatory mental health treatment.
The incident came to light when Roby Johnson, her estranged husband, noticed an foul taste in his coffee in March 2023, CNN reported. Roby used pool chemical testing strips to test his coffee, discovering a high level of chlorine. To gather evidence, he set up a hidden camera, which appeared to capture Johnson pouring bleach into his coffee maker.
The footage, captured across various dates, appeared to catch Melody in the act of poisoning Roby. One video, dated July 16, 2023, appears to show her pouring bleach from a larger bottle into a smaller one before proceeding to the coffee maker. Another clip from July 5, 2023 showed her wearing only a towel while engaging in the same activity, Law&Crime reported.
Despite the evidence and the severity of the accusations, Johnson expressed a desire for his wife to not face prison time, according to the outlet. The couple, who are still legally married and share a child, were in the process of getting divorced when the incident occurred. The divorce proceedings remain ongoing.
