Arizona Woman Charged After Allegedly Trying To Poison Husband's Coffee

Roby Johnson of the U.S. Air Force helped put his wife in jail after she tried to poison him by putting bleach in his morning coffee for months.

August 11, 2023
Melody Felicano Johnson, picured here, was indicted on charges of first-degree attempted murder, attempting to commit aggravated assault and poisoning food or drink

Roby Johnson of the U.S. Air Force helped put his wife in jail after she tried to poison him by putting bleach in his morning coffee for months.

Photo by: Pima County Sheriff's Office

Pima County Sheriff's Office

Melody Felicano Johnson, a 39-year-old woman from Tucson, Arizona, has been accused of trying to poison her husband by putting bleach in his coffee every day for several months.

Johnson was indicted by a grand jury on charges of attempting to commit first degree murder, domestic violence; attempting to commit aggravated assault-serious physical injury, domestic violence; and adding poison or harmful substance to food or drink.

Melody’s husband, Roby Johnson, went to police after catching her in action by hidden cameras he placed in their Tucson home, reported Newsweek. The couple were getting a divorce but still living in the home together with their child. Roby believed she was trying to kill him for financial reasons since she could collect his death benefits.

Roby is in the U.S. Air Force, and he first noticed something was wrong back in March 2023 when he and his wife were stationed in Germany. It was then that his coffee started tasting bad, according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate KVOA.

Growing increasingly suspicious, Roby started using pool testing strips in his coffee two to three weeks after he noticed the foul taste. These tests showed high levels of chlorine present in the coffee pot yet not in the tap water. He then set up hidden cameras around the house, and they captured footage of Melody putting something in his coffee.

Rather than report the situation to German authorities, Roby waited until he returned to the United States on June 28. Meanwhile, he pretended to still drink the coffee but never consumed it again.

Once he was back in the U.S., the Johnsons lived in temporary housing at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. There, Roby once again set up the hidden cameras throughout the house and caught Melody on camera tampering with the coffeemaker, reported Newsweek.

On July 6, 2023, Roby took the footage to the police and filed a report that his wife was trying to poison him by putting bleach in his coffee maker. When officers felt the video footage was inconclusive and unclear, he purchased better video recording equipment. He put cameras in the laundry room where the bleach was stored, right over the coffee maker, and in a spot that showed Melody going from the laundry room to the coffee maker. This time, court documents state the footage showed Melody "take bleach, pour it into a container, and then walk over and pour it into the coffee maker".

With this new evidence on hand, authorities issued a search warrant and investigators observed how the liquids inside the coffee maker smelled like bleach.

Melody was arrested on July 18. Her bond was set at $250,000. According to CNN, prosecutors felt a high bond was needed since she had family and a recently purchased home in the Philippines. She was arraigned on Friday, August 4, and she entered a not guilty plea. She is next expected in court on September 6.

Next Up

Poison Specialist Accused Of Killing His Wife With Poison

A Minnesota poison expert has been charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly poisoned his wife with liquid colchicine.

Former 'Family Feud' Contestant Sentenced To Life For Murdering His Estranged Wife

Timothy W. Bliefnick fatally shot Rebecca Bliefnick on Feb. 23, 2023 while the couple was in the process of getting a divorce.

Arizona Woman Helps Save Herself During Kidnapping By Passing Note To A Stranger

After being kidnapped by a man disguised as an Uber driver, a woman helped save herself by passing a note to a stranger at an Arizona gas station asking them to call 911.

‘Mom Influencer’ Sentenced After Falsely Accusing Couple Of Trying To Kidnap Her Children

In 2020, Katie Sorensen falsely accused a couple of trying to kidnap her kids in a viral Instagram video and a local news program. Now, she will spend 90 days in jail for falsely reporting a crime.

Judge Accused Of Killing Wife Allegedly Texted Staff ‘I Just Shot My Wife. I Won’t Be In Tomorrow.”

Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson allegedly texted staff only minutes after shooting his wife, Sheryl Ferguson, during a heated argument on Aug. 3, 2023.

Man Sentenced For 1982 Cold Case Ax Murder Of His Wife

After the case went cold for 40 years, Cathleen Krauseneck’s husband was convicted and sentenced for killing her with an ax.

Man Accused Of Murdering Woman After She Removed The AirTag He Put On Her Car

Jailene Flores, a 21-year-old Illinois woman, was murdered by an alleged stalker after she removed an AirTag tracking device he put on her car.

California Couple Vindicated After Police Doubt Home Invasion, Kidnapping Survival Story

Cops determined Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn’s harrowing ordeal never actually occurred — until a suspect slipped up.

Illinois Man Caught After Holding Couple Hostage In Makeshift Dungeon

Chad Schipper blamed a “demon inside me” for kidnapping Larry and Connie Van Oosten for $350,000.

Trial Begins For Michael Turney Who Is Accused Of Killing His Teen Stepdaughter

Michael Turney is accused of murdering his teenage stepdaughter, Alissa Turney, in May 2001, and his living daughter has been vocally supportive of his prosecution.