Poisoning death didn’t appear suspicious: police

Posted

May 31, 2012 12:26:25

An inquest into the fatal poisoning of a builder in western Victoria in has been told his death did not appear suspicious at first.

Anthony Mooney, 47, died at his home near Hamilton on Father’s Day in September 2008.

Post mortem tests showed he had suffered acute strychnine poisoning.

Senior Constable Anthony Pearson was one of the first police officers to attend the scene.

He told the inquest he watched paramedics as they tried to resuscitate Mr Mooney in a bedroom.

He said Mr Mooney’s son and stepson were present and both appeared distressed.

Senior Constable Pearson took photos of Mr Mooney’s body and searched the bedroom and a bathroom.

He said nothing appeared untoward and he did not consider the death suspicious.

He also took statements from two people about an altercation Mr Mooney had been involved in at a hotel the previous night.

Yesterday Professor Olaf Drummer, from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, told the inquest only nine cases of fatal strychnine poisoning have been recorded in Victoria and most were suicides.

The toxicologist told the inquest that Mr Mooney probably ingested the fatal dose of poison through something he ate or drank just before he died.

Professor Drummer said victims usually showed symptoms within half an hour of being dosed and died within three hours.

He said flu-like symptoms Mr Mooney had for several weeks before his death were not consistent with strychnine poisoning.

Topics:
death,
crime,
murder-and-manslaughter,
warrnambool-3280,
hamilton-3300



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