Man dies four years after colleague poisoned his sandwich

A 57-year-old man identified only as Klaus O tried to poison his colleagues by mixing a poisonous homemade powder into their food and drinks. Surveillance camera footage caught the sadistic man adding the poison to sandwiches and drinks. One of Klaus' colleagues, a 26-year-old man, went into a coma after ingesting a sandwich prepared by him. After being in a coma for four years, the victim passed away on January 9.

Three employees at a metal fittings company in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, Germany fell critically ill after ingesting poison-laced food and drinks. A mercury and lead acetate laced sandwich ingested by the victim caused severe brain damage, leaving him in a vegetative state for four years. His two colleagues, who had also been poisoned, suffered kidney damage but survived the ordeal. It remained unknown how the three employees got poisoned.

In 2018, an employee at the company found a suspicious white powder in his lunch. The company fitted surveillance cameras for employee safety. In May 2018, Klaus was recorded adding a homemade mix of cadmium and lead to the food of unsuspecting victims. The police arrested Klaus for trying to poison his colleagues. Raiding Klaus' home, the police found lead, mercury, and cadmium, which the man used on his victims.

Klaus was found guilty in March 2019 of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison. DW reported that Klaus' defence told the court that Klaus poisoned his colleagues out of curiosity. He wanted to witness the effects of toxins on human bodies. The judge ruled that Klaus was a danger to the public so his sentence would not be reduced. Klaus appealed the sentence to the Federal Court of Justice, which is the highest court of criminal justice in Germany.

Since 2000, there have been 21 premature deaths in the company, which are now being investigated. BBC pointed out that the death of the victim could lead to a new trial. Even though Germany usually does not give life sentences to murderers, the cruel and unusual crime committed over the years by the deranged man warranted the harsh sentencing.