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Virginia Beach woman charged with possessing toxin, firearm soon after boyfriend’s death

Posted at 7:20 PM, Apr 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-27 19:20:25-04

Debbie Siers-Hill being searched in 2016

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman accused of poisoning her boyfriend in 2016 has been charged with one count of knowingly possessing a toxin and one count of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

A federal grand jury indicted Debbie Siers-Hill on April 18.

Court documents say the firearm, a Charter Arms Undercover revolver, was shipped and transported across state lines and that the serial number had been removed, altered and obliterated.

The records say Siers-Hill did not have proper registration for ricin, the toxin in her possession.

The indictment indicates the toxin and the firearm were in her possession in March 2016.

Retired Navy Flight Commander Fred Brooks

In April 2016, Virginia Beach Police and the FBI searched the home of Fred Brooks after finding a suspicious substance inside his home where he was found unconscious in February that same year. Brooks died 24 hours after he was found.

Siers-Hill was living with Brooks at the time of the incident. According to a civil lawsuit filed in Virginia Beach Circuit Court, all of Brooks’ children believe he was being poisoned by Siers-Hill.

She denied the allegations.

Court records show Brooks changed his will just 10 days before his death. The will named Siers-Hill as a first successor co-trustee.

The lawsuit accused Siers-Hill of pressuring Brooks to change his will because she was trying to gain control of his estate.

Siers-Hill has not been charged in Brooks’ death.