Woman Scorned Arrested for Bloomberg Ricin Letters

Kimberly Paxton

Most women just ask for a divorce when they’re unhappy in their marriages. And then there’s Shannon Richardson. The quote “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” has rarely been more appropriate.

Shannon Guess Richardson, a Texas woman, has been accused of sending ricin-tainted letters to Mayor Bloomberg and his anti-gun mayor buddies last month, and setting up her husband to take the fall. (Bloomberg, of course, immediately seized the opportunity to falsely accuse gun owners.)

Richardson, who is pregnant with her 6th child, called authorities and pointed the finger at her husband, Nathan Richardson. She told investigators that she had found sticky notes with the addresses of Bloomberg, his gun control group and President Obama. As well, she reported Tupperware containers and brown speckled beans.

When Nathan Richardson was questioned, he said that Shannon had wanted to leave him and that she was actually the one responsible for sending the letters. When Nathan’s car was searched, some castor beans (used to make ricin) were found rolling around in his trunk. Nathan Richardson’s attorney reported that Nathan had discussed a divorce a year previous to this incident.

Shannon’s story broke down upon closer investigation.