🚨🦃 ‘Killer Mom’ Accused of Poisoning Family During Thanksgiving Dinner — Shocking Case Uncovered

A North Carolina mother and former restaurant entrepreneur stands accused of poisoning her own daughter to death with tainted wine during a Thanksgiving family dinner, while also attempting to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 her other daughter and a boyfriend in a 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 case that has now unearthed a nearly two-decade-old cold case murder.

Authorities allege that Goodren “Goody” Casper Lining Cougall, a fixture in Asheville’s culinary scene, served wine laced with a toxic industrial chemical during a 12-person Thanksgiving gathering in 2025. Her daughter, Leela Livis, died roughly a week later on December 1st. Two other guests, her daughter Mia Lacy and Mia’s boyfriend, Richard Peg, survived after becoming violently ill.

Investigators say the three victims consumed acetonitrile, a clear, colorless solvent used in lithium batteries that the CDC describes as highly toxic and potentially fatal if ingested. Prosecutors revealed at a bond hearing that a review of Cougall’s search history showed she looked up “what happens if I ingest acetonitrile” prior to the holiday dinner.

Cougall now faces a slate of severe charges including first-degree murder for Leela’s death, two counts of first-degree attempted murder for the attacks on Mia and Richard, and three counts of distributing a prohibited food and beverage. A judge has denied her bond, citing the extreme nature of the 𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃𝓈.

The investigation into the Thanksgiving poisonings triggered a stunning secondary development. Deputies uncovered what they believe is evidence linking Cougall to the 2007 death of Michael Schmidt in Henderson County, south of Asheville. Schmidt was previously believed to have died in a house fire at his residence on Schmidt Terrace—the same home where Cougall was reportedly living at the time of her recent arrest.

An arrest warrant now accuses Cougall of first-degree murder in Schmidt’s death, reopening a case that had remained cold for roughly eighteen years. Authorities have released few details on what new evidence emerged to change the classification of Schmidt’s death from an accident to a homicide.

Prosecutors have further indicated that Cougall is under investigation for additional, unspecified deaths, suggesting the scope of the case may widen. If convicted on the current murder charges, she could be eligible for the death penalty in North Carolina.

The suspect’s background adds a complex layer to the grim 𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃𝓈. Prior to her arrest, Cougall was known locally as a restaurant tour and entrepreneur. A 2016 feature in the Mountain Express detailed her plans to open the Patent Public House in Asheville, inspired by European pubs. She claimed to have opened six restaurants and bars across the country and spoke of a childhood split between the U.S. and Germany.

That business venture faced early trouble, with a local news report from the time noting several employees quit just a month after opening, alleging unpaid wages—a problem Cougall blamed on a payroll company. The restaurant has since closed.

Cougall made her first court appearance from jail via video feed. She has thus far waived her right to appointed counsel, stating an intent to hire a private attorney, an unusual move given the severity of the charges and her incarceration without bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for February 10th, though legal experts note the state could circumvent that by quickly securing indictments from a grand jury.

Legal analysts highlight the formidable challenge a defense team would face, given the specific toxic chemical, the alleged search history, and the direct link between the host and the victims. A primary focus for any defense will likely involve an immediate mental health evaluation due to the extreme and unusual nature of the alleged crimes.

The two murder cases—the 2007 house fire and the 2025 poisoning—are transactionally unrelated and will therefore be tried separately. However, the state could potentially use evidence from one case in the other under specific rules if it demonstrates a common plan or scheme, though the differing methods and nearly twenty-year gap present a high bar.

The rural and conservative region where the crimes occurred is considered more receptive to capital punishment than other parts of the state, increasing the likelihood prosecutors will seek the death penalty. This provides significant leverage in any future plea negotiations, where the state could potentially offer life without parole in exchange for guilty pleas.

The community of Asheville, a vibrant cultural hub in the Blue Ridge Mountains known for its food and music, has been shaken by the brutal 𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃𝓈 against a woman who once sought to be part of its hospitality industry. As investigators continue to probe both the recent poisonings and the reopened cold case, a portrait of a suspect with a seemingly benign public facade is being replaced by one of a woman accused of the most profound betrayals.

All parties involved await the next steps in a judicial process that promises to be lengthy and complex, with the potential for even more charges to emerge. The search for a motive in the Thanksgiving attack, and any possible connection to the past, remains a central, unanswered question in a story that has devastated a family and captivated a region.