Deadly thallium poisoning: Roommate indicted on first-degree murder

Poisoning victim's family has unanswered questions

A Minnesota man was poisoned by his roommate, who is now charged. But the victim's family still has questions. FOX 9's Maury Glover has the latest.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Fridley man facing charges in the thallium poisoning death of his roommate has been indicted on first-degree murder.

Grand jury indictment

The backstory:

Stuart Hanmer, 35, was initially arrested and charged in September with second-degree murder following the death of his roommate, Cody Ernst. The 33-year-old fell ill in May and was in and out of the hospital until he died on June 22.

Investigators reported finding internet searches pertaining to thallium on Hanmer’s phone and evidence of three separate transactions for thallium metal and oil, according to the criminal complaint.

What's new:

The case was taken to a grand jury, which returned an indictment on one count of premeditated first-degree murder, in addition to the initial charge, the Stearns County Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday.

Hanmer’s bail was increased during Thursday’s court appearance for the new indictment, and is now set at $5 million without conditions or $2.5 million with conditions.

What is thallium?

Dig deeper:

Thallium, a highly toxic substance, was banned for use as a rodent killer in the U.S. during the 1970s due to safety concerns of accidental exposure. Though still used commercially in electronics, thermometers, and specialized lenses, it has a notorious history of being used for murder.

In Ernst's case, a pharmacist with poison control reported that the level of thallium present in his body meant it was likely ingested, and he was not exposed by environmental means. Ernst reported falling ill on May 15 after drinking his morning coffee, and started experiencing symptoms including fainting, vomiting, dizziness, nausea, and the loss of feeling in his extremities. After a series of hospital visits, he was transferred to the University of Minnesota Fairview Hospital and ultimately died as a result of thallium poisoning on June 22, according to court records.