2 arrested in poisoning plot at Olive Hill eatery

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January 16, 2008

By TIM PRESTON The Daily Independent Wed Jan 16, 2008, 11:22 AM EST

OLIVE HILL — A pair of employees at a McDonald’s restaurant in Olive Hill are in jail — and out of work — after one of them allegedly attempted to poison the food of the other’s spouse.

Christopher D. Stephens, 33, of Wildcat Drive was arrested Saturday afternoon and charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, a Class B felony with a potential 10- to 20-year prison term.

According to his arrest citation, Stephens “attempted to kill the husband of a female friend of his with whom he was having an intimate relationship by attempting to prepare food for the person laced with rat poison. Stephens placed the poison on the food the husband ordered but was interrupted by another employee and caught.”

Stephens was arrested shortly after the incident was reported and was transported to the Carter County Detention Center where he remains under a $250,000 cash bond.

The wife of the intended poisoning victim was later arrested and taken into custody for her role in the attempted murder.

Patricia Renee Valandingham, 37, of U.S. 60 West was arrested a few minutes after the lunch hour Tuesday and charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder, also a Class B felony with a potential sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

Valandingham’s arrest citation states she, “conspired with another person with whom she had an intimate relationship with to kill her husband by poisoning.”

Bond information for Valandingham was not available.

Olive Hill Police Chief Bobby Hall emphasized there was never a public health threat at the McDonald’s where Stephens and Valandingham were previously employed.

“This was a premeditated, calculated attack on an individual. There was no threat to the public at any time,” the police chief said.

The intended victim was never exposed to any toxic substance, the police chief said.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.

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