BERKELEY, Calif. – An engineer in Berkeley, California is accused of trying to kill a colleague by poisoning her food and water with a toxic substance multiple times since 2017.
David Xu, 34, was arrested on a warrant Thursday, according to jail records. He is facing charges of premediated attempted murder and felony poisoning.
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According to court records obtained by Berkeleyside, a fellow engineer at Berkeley Engineering and Research had noticed "a strange taste or smell from her water and food" that she had left unattended in her office. Police wrote that she experienced "immediate and significant health problems” after consuming the food and water, and sought emergency care at the hospital.
Two of the victim's relatives who drank from her water bottle in November and December also got sick, investigators said.
Police said that surveillance footage from the victim's office showed Xu adding a substance to her water bottle on February 11 and March 4. Water samples taken from the bottle on those dates showed a toxic amount of cadmium, according to investigators.
Blood samples from the victim and her relatives also revealed "elevated levels of cadmium," police said.
Cadmium is a metal that is primarily used in batteries. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ingesting food or water with high cadmium levels "severely irritates the stomach, leading to vomiting and diarrhea, and sometimes death."
Court records said Xu also poisoned his colleague on November 29, December 13, and as far back as October 9, 2017. Police have not said what may have motivated the poisonings.
Xu remains in custody at the Berkeley Jail and is being held without bail. He was set to be arraigned Tuesday morning.