Source: Emilija Manevska / Getty
Everyone has probably had hate for a co-worker before, but one German man took things to a whole new lethal level when he allegedly tampered with people’s food.
According to Newsweek, police arrested a guy, known as “Klaus O,” who might have murdered 21 of his co-workers by poisoning their lunches. They are tying him to deaths that go back as far as 2000.
The suspect, a metal-fittings worker, was brought to the attention of authorities when a co-worker found a white powder on his food. He brought it to the attention of his bosses at the ARI Armaturen metal-fittings firm and they reviewed security footage. Soon after, they contacted police.
“In the beginning we thought it was a misconceived prank between co-workers and not a murder attempt,” Tilo Blechinger, the manager at ARI Armaturen said.
Investigators soon discovered the sprinkled substance was lead acetate, which is highly toxic yet near tasteless. Ingesting the compound can result in serious organ damage and death. When authorities searched the suspect’s home, they found poison-making materials including mercury, lead and cadmium.
The 21 people the subject allegedly killed died of cancer or heart attacks, which could have been caused by the metal poisoning. A spokesperson at the University of Bonn said lead poisoning is very rare and hard to detect. Common symptoms include paralysis, shaking, dizziness and bleeding gums, which could all come from more common illnesses.
In addition to the 21 dead, another two employees are currently in a coma, while a third is on dialysis treatment. It’s possible cops will dig up the 21 bodies for further tests, as well as interview the doctors and family members of the deceased.
The suspect has kept a closed mouth since his arrest and the motive is unclear now. A 15 member homicide team will take on the case, which could be one of Germany’s most significant serial killings.
