By Richard Haddad | The Daily Courier
The co-owner of The Daily Courier was poisoned with what could have been lethal doses of thallium and other chemicals, according to leading toxicology and medical experts.
After experiencing prolonged, unexplained illness with severe symptoms earlier this year, Joseph Soldwedel, who is also co-publisher, sought medical treatment and forensic laboratory testing.
“The test findings are highly suggestive, but not confirmatory, of an intentional poisoning with an intent to kill,” said Dr. Ernest P. Chiodo, one of the nation’s leading experts in forensic toxicology who reviewed Soldwedel’s test results.
Thallium is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless heavy metal. According to U.S. National Library of Medicine, after its discovery in the 1860s thallium was used as rat and ant poisoning. However, due to incidents of intentional poisoning of humans, the use of thallium in rodenticides and pesticides was banned in the United States in 1965.
