Arizona woman who poisoned husband’s coffee strikes plea deal to avoid jail

A woman from Arizona, who confessed to poisoning her husband’s coffee with bleach, has agreed to a plea deal that will prevent her from serving prison time. Melody Felicano Johnson faced charges including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and contamination of food, drink, or medicine in August 2023. Each charge could have resulted in a two-year prison term.

Last month, she entered a guilty plea to two charges related to the poisoning of food or beverages. Her attorney requested leniency, highlighting that she had been in jail for nearly a year, unable to afford her $250,000 bail. As a result of the plea agreement, Johnson received a sentence of three years of probation and must participate in mental health therapy. Additionally, she is permitted to see her husband only when legal representatives are present, as CNN reported.

The situation shed light on the troubling dynamics within the couple’s marriage. Johnson’s estranged husband, Roby, who works in the Air Force, believed she was trying to kill him to collect death benefits. 

Air Force serviceman uncovers poisoning attempt with covert surveillance

He became suspicious after detecting an unusual flavor in his coffee while stationed in Germany in March 2023. Roby Johnson reported to investigators that he used pool testing strips, which indicated high chlorine levels in his coffee pot. He set up covert cameras that he claimed showed his wife adding bleach from a container into their coffee machine.

He approached the Tucson Police Department with his findings on July 6, 2023. The initial investigation stalled as the video did not conclusively show the substance Johnson was mixing into the coffee. Roby then placed another camera disguised as a smoke detector. This additional evidence, captured on July 18, purportedly showed Johnson pouring bleach into the coffee maker before brewing. Her arrest followed soon after. Despite their ongoing divorce and cohabitation with their child, Roby expressed to the court that he did not wish for his wife to go to prison.