2025 Public Health Laboratory Newsroom
In Poisoning Case, Police Assisted by Minn. Public Health Lab
A St. Cloud man has been indicted for poisoning his ex-housemate with thallium, an extremely toxic element. During their investigation, authorities came to the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory to test samples for thallium. The Minnesota Public Health Laboratory has a unique ability to test for less common contaminants and often assists with cases involving potential poisoning.
On May 23, 2025, the poisoning victim checked in to a Coon Rapids emergency room reporting chest pain, numbness in his extremities, vomiting, and seizure-like activity. After he was transferred to M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, physicians consulted with the Minnesota Regional Poison Center about a possible poisoning.
The Minnesota Regional Poison Center connected the hospital with the Public Health Laboratory. They coordinated sending a urine sample from the victim to the Environmental Laboratory, a section of the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory.
The lab followed the procedures of an emergency response situation, which prioritized testing the sample and quickly reporting results. Tests revealed high levels of thallium in the victim's sample. The lab’s chemical threat coordinator organized the testing and communicated with the hospital, the police, the Minnesota Regional Poison Center, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Thallium is an odorless and tasteless metal that was once used in rat poison. It is too rare for the laboratories within hospitals and clinics to carry the capacity to test for it. The Environmental Laboratory regularly tests for thallium in water and bodily fluids.
Police then discovered receipts for online purchases sending thallium to the accused’s P.O. box. On September 5, 2025, the man was charged with second-degree murder for administering a deadly dose of thallium. (Read more about this case on the Minnesota Star Tribune’s website: St. Cloud man ingested poison, ex-housemate charged with murder.)
Testing for a Wide Range of Contaminants
The Minnesota Environmental Laboratory has a targeted, verified test for thallium that it runs routinely. It also has the flexibility to test for even rarer contaminants. The lab has sophisticated equipment, like high-resolution mass spectrometers, that can be adapted for many uses beyond the standard tests.
For example, the Minnesota Environmental Laboratory helped a medical examiner in a poisoning case involving the medication colchicine. Colchicine is used to treat and prevent gout but is lethal in large doses.
In October 2023, a man was charged with second-degree murder for poisoning his wife with a fatal dose of colchicine. The Minnesota Environmental Laboratory identified colchicine in the victim’s system. (Read more about this case at NBC News: Minnesota doctor accused of fatally poisoning wife indicted on murder charges.)
Emergency response situations for the Minnesota Environmental Laboratory extend beyond poisoning cases. The lab also handles suspected accidental exposures to toxins, possible attempts of chemical terrorism, and other potential contaminations. The Minnesota Public Health Laboratory owns broad expertise and capability to assist with potential dangers to public health.
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