Ricin found in Vegas hotel, 7 hospitalized.

[ells9824]

Preliminary tests indicate that a package found at a motel contained the toxin ricin, and seven people have been taken to hospitals, authorities said.

Investigators did not believe the substance was intended for an attack.

Story (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004250533_apmotelhazardousmaterial.html?syndicati on=rss)

Thats all well and good that they don't *think* its an attack, but ricin is basically ground up castor beans. I am not sure how that accidentally gets left lying around a motel.

I first heard about it in an Anne Rule book, Bitter Harvest (http://www.amazon.com/Bitter-Harvest-Ann-Rule/dp/0671868691), about Dr. Deborah Green, a crazy woman who tried to kill her husband that way, and when that didn't work she decided to burn the house down with their children in it.

[TXChris]

I have to admit, that would be pretty damn scary to happen across while vacationing somewhere. So, the question begs, what the hell was it doing there? A Las Vegas hotel room, the last time I checked, was definitely not a medical research facility.

[Athena]

Anne Rule lived down the street from me, growing up. A friend of mine lived next door to her. Her kids were kinda weird, but she's a nice lady. That's what got me into serial killers as a child. :p

[ells9824]

Police say a man is in critical condition (some reports say he's in a coma) after the deadly toxin ricin was found in his Las Vegas motel room.

Las Vegas police Lt. Lewis Roberts says the man has been in a coma since he was found in his room at the Extended Stay America Motel on Thursday.

He's one of seven people hospitalized after the ricin was discovered. Police have said most were examined as a precaution.

[CPL CHUD]

I once found a copy of Jugs under a mattress at a hotel, but someone glued all the pages together.:(

[ells9824]

I think that glue is only toxic in some cases....

[TXChris]

That wasn't glue...and, um, sorry. :o

[Pirelli Jones]

I just had to get this out of the unread pile, I have severe myslexia and kept reading "Rich found in Vegas hotel" and I'm like duh, its winter.

[WryBread]

Prelli! I had to laugh. "Rich Found in LA Hotel." Yeah, that's not much of a story.

It's weird to me that the gov't tries to get us all het up about terrorism, but when something truly strange and suspicious happens, they rush to reassure us that nothing is going on. Just a vial or two of a deadly poison found in a hotel room in a populous city with a large tourist venue. That's all. Just a mysterious man sickened by said poison and a friend-or-relation-they're-not-sure who brings the poison to the front desk from a room with pets in it, including a dog that died from not having food or water for a week. Nothing here to be suspicious or alarmed about, folks. No, it happens every day and probably in your family. And no release of the man's identity, no description given of him to help someone step forward to identify him. Nope, just calm reassurance all around for us viewers.

[ells9824]

The plot thickens....


police said that firearms and an "anarchist type textbook" were found in the same room the ricin was found—two days before vials of the substance were discovered Thursday.

Capt. Joseph Lombardo said at a press conference late Friday that the book was tabbed at a spot with information about ricin. Police found the weapons and books on Tuesday, after a manager at the Extended Stay America motel called police upon finding weapons, he said.

After authorities seized the book and weapons, tests for ricin were conducted but were negative, said Lombardo.

Lombardo said a 53-year-old friend or relative of the sick man made contact with motel management on Feb. 22 to inform them about pets in the room—a dog and two cats.

Earlier Friday, police Deputy Chief Kathy Suey said that the friend or relative found the vials after going to the motel to retrieve the hospitalized man's belongings, and brought them to the apartment manager. Authorities confirmed Friday the vials contained ricin.

It was unclear how long the vials were in the unoccupied motel room, and whether they might have been overlooked when ricin tests were conducted on Tuesday.

Lombardo did not address such questions during the brief news conference.

Rest of story (http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8417427?nclick_check=1)

I feel much better knowing it was an anarchist plot rather than a terror plot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update:
Von Bergendorff was different. Tammy Ewell said, "He wasn't social; he was very quiet and kind of kept to himself down in the basement of their house."

aren't they all???
story (http://tinyurl.com/2do8qu)