Lawyer is accused of trying to hire hit man after poisoning attempt fails
A Tennessee lawyer is accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill his estranged wife after he failed to kill her with poisoned toothpaste.
Fred Auston Wortman III of Collierville was indicted on Friday on charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment, report WMCActionNews5, WREG and MyFoxMemphis.
Police say Wortman tried to poison his wife, Staci, in January with toothpaste containing Aconitum, a plant-based poison, and also exposed another family member to the poison. Staci Jones Wortman and one of the couple’s three children allegedly got sick after using the toothpaste but both have recovered, WREG says.
Wortman was arrested on June 5 for allegedly trying to hire the hit man, who was actually an undercover agent. He is being held on $15 million bond on that charge.
Court documents alleged Wortman used his computer at work to research hit men, bitcoins and poisons, WREG reports. Wortman’s wife filed for divorce last April and the proceedings are ongoing.
Ths sign on Wortman’s law office has been replaced with one displaying only his partner’s name.
