Ill. man accused of planning fish toxin death

[June 17, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- A suburban Chicago man accused of posing as a doctor to buy vials of deadly fish toxin is charged with planning to use it to kill his wife and collect $20 million in life insurance.

Edward F. Bachner IV had previously been charged with lying to get the toxin, which is 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide.

Bachner was charged Tuesday with buying it for the specific purpose of killing his wife and collecting insurance money.

The 35-year-old has been in federal custody since being arrested in July after receiving a toxin shipment. Agents found syringes, needles and a book on how to poison people when they searched his home.

A message seeking comment was left Tuesday for defense attorney James Marcus, who has said the book was a reference for would-be crime novelists.

[Associated Press]

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