An Indiana man was reportedly poisoned by his wife and stepdaughter over a period of two months before succumbing on their fifth attempt, according to police statements.

Harold “Peanut” Allen, aged 52, met his demise on 22 December 2022 after consuming a root beer that contained ethylene glycol, an odorless, transparent, and sweet liquid commonly used in antifreeze.

While his obituary mentioned that he “passed away suddenly,” investigations have unveiled that his death had been anticipated by his wife, Marsha Allen, 52, and her daughter, Ashley Jones, 30, as claimed by authorities.

The prosecutors have indicated that on 14 September 2022, Jones purportedly purchased pong pong seeds via eBay. A single seed from this plant can deliver a lethal dose of cerberin, which is toxic enough to deem the plant as the “suicide tree.”

The duo is said to have crushed the seeds with a coffee grinder and incorporated them into brownies they made on November 26, 2022.

According to court filings, on the same day, Allen’s wife sent her daughter an image of Allen with a partially eaten brownie on a paper plate resting on his midriff.

The filings state, “Harold fell ill after consuming the brownie and was rushed to the emergency room the following day.”

His recuperation involved multiple hospital visits, which purportedly irritated the individuals accused of trying to kill him.

Police allege that the duo exchanged messages on 28 November, with Marsha reportedly stating: “I am irritated and can’t sleep peacefully.

“I need this to be over,” said the distraught mother and wife. “I hope it reaches its climax soon and ends lol,” to which Jones supposedly responded, acknowledging her agreement.

Two days subsequent to the conversation, Allen found himself in the emergency room again, though his symptoms were attributed to intestinal inflammation by the physicians.

Choosing a different deadly plant, the mother and daughter, as per authorities, opted for hemlock, procuring it through Etsy this time.

Despite multiple alleged attempts by using it in a bowl of chili, a glass of soda, and a margarita during December, all of which seemed ineffective, Jones reportedly decided to procure ethylene glycol on the 13th of December, aiming to mix it into a root beer.

A week later, Allen passed away.

Almost a year following this incident, Marsha Allen’s home in Freetown, which is situated approximately 40 miles from Bloomington, was targeted in a burglary. The local police apprehended Steven Andrew White, 29, and Nathaniel Kane Napier, 28, linking them to the crime.

Nevertheless, the authorities suggested that White and Napier did not act independently. According to statements made by Jackson County Sheriff Rick Meyer last year, the burglary was executed under the command and with the help of Marsha’s daughter, Ashley Jones.

Marsha Allen reported to the authorities her suspicions about her daughter being involved from the beginning, as the culprits had access to the gun safe’s combination. She believed her daughter, Jones, was the only other individual who knew the combination.

White disclosed to an investigator that not only did Jones instigate the burglary involving him and Napier, but he also claimed that she had accused her mother of having fatally poisoned Allen previously.

Allen refuted these claims and handed over her phone to the police, which led to the discovery of crucial evidence that supported the alleged plan to murder Allen.

Text messages exchanged between the duo in December 2022 were found on her phone, which officials uncovered.

According to the sheriff’s office, Jones has admitted to ordering the ethylene glycol that would be used to kill her stepfather but insisted it was her mother who committed the act by lacing his drink with it.

Allen’s wife died of suspected suicide the same day that a search warrant for her home was put into effect in October 2023, following the arrest of Jones for allegedly instigating the burglary of her mother’s house.

Jones now faces an abundance of charges, namely two counts of murder, one count of conspiracy to commit murder, one count of consumer product tampering, and two counts of attempted murder.

A trial for Jones is scheduled to begin on 7 January 2025.