California Attempted Murder Case Resolved Without Ricin Possession Charges Against Two Suspects

Two lesbian lovers pleaded guilty Monday to attempted murder but were not charged with possession of ricin, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported (see GSN, Jan. 9).

Astrid Tepatti and Ebony Woods made several attempts on the life of Tepatti’s husband, Stephen, a U.S. Marine sergeant based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

In addition to pursuing more conventional killing means, the two women found a recipe for ricin on a white supremacist Web site, according to prosecutor Shanna Dougherty. Several bags of the poisonous white powder and other weapons were found in a car they drove after attempting to shoot Stephen Tepatti, according to the Union-Tribune.

Tepatti faces up to six years in prison at her Oct. 29 sentencing hearing, while Woods could be sentenced to nine years on Nov. 5 (Onell Soto, San Diego Union-Tribune, Aug. 10).

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