Geneva Woman Charged With Murder After Slipping Sedative Into Husband's Smoothie: Authorities

GENEVA, IL - A 53-year-old Geneva woman is accused of killing her husband by intentionally poisoning him after she slipped a sedative into his drink last week, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Julia L. Gutierrez is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Eduardo Gutierrez whose body was found in their home on Thursday. Julia, of 39 Crissey Ave., was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon, according to online jail records.

Sometime between Jan. 26 and Jan. 28, Julia Gutierrez is accused of mixing Temazepam, which is a sedative used to treat insomnia, into a smoothie and then gave the drink to her husband, according to police and media reports. Eduardo Gutierrez was unaware of the Temazepam, consumed the drink and died as a result, according to a press release from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.

A telephone call for a well-being check was placed to Geneva Police the evening of Jan. 28. Geneva Police responded to the Gutierrez home at about 6:19 p.m. that evening and found Eduardo Gutierrez dead and Julia Gutierrez in need of medical assistance. Julia Gutierrez was taken to a local hospital. WGN reports Julia tried to use the sedative to kill herself and was found by police in a “tranquilized state.”

Police did not indicate who made the call for the well-being check.

Police conducted a search of the home early Friday. An autopsy was done Friday and Kane County Coroner Rob Russell said in a press released that the ”preliminary cause of death is pending further investigation.” Toxicology samples were collected and sent to a forensic lab, he said.

A bond hearing will be continued on Wednesday morning in Kane County.

If convicted, Gutierrez would be sentenced to between 20 and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Patch will update with more details as they become available. You can sign up for the Geneva Patch newsletters for more updates.