Wife allegedly used antifreeze to poison husband

Miller County authorities are investigating after a woman is accused of poisoning her husband, then setting their home on fire.

Authorities initially received a call on Dec. 11, 2018, about a house fire on Janice Drive in Iberia, where Joshua Murray’s body was found inside the residence.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal and the Miller County Sheriff’s Office said the fire was determined to be started by Murray’s wife, Amy, after she allegedly poisoned Joshua with antifreeze.

An autopsy showed Murray died of poisoning, and Amy was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Amy allegedly started the fire, then left the home and went to a McDonald’s in Osage Beach with her 11-year-old son and dogs. When she returned to the home, she said the house was on fire, and the smoke was too heavy for her to go inside, according to a probable cause statement.

Court documents revealed Amy had worked as a nurse at the Jefferson City Correctional Center and had a romantic relationship with an inmate.

In recorded phone conversations Amy told the inmate, Eugene Claypool, she didn’t want to be married to her husband anymore and she could marry Claypool because Joshua was deceased and “out of the picture,” the documents said. Claypool previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Amy talked about getting an attorney to get Claypool be released from prison early.

Amy is currently at the Miller County Adult Detention Center on a $750,000 bond.

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