BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Pascale Ferrier, the Canadian woman suspected of mailing ricin poison to the White House, has been identified by the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office as the suspect who mailed ricin poison to its sheriff and three female detention officers.
The sheriff's office says on September 14 it received an envelope addressed to Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra with a letter and a suspicious white powdery substance. It says the letter was postmarked from Canada and sent on September 9.
In the letter the author clearly stated a desire to harm Sheriff Guerra and three female detention officers who also received letters, according to the sheriff's office.
Law enforcement says the FBI confirmed the substance in all four letters was ricin and the letters contained similar language to the letter that was sent to the White House and included the same text "FREE REBEL SPIRIT."
The sheriff's office says Ferrier was identified as the suspect after an investigation. She was previously booked into the Hidalgo County Jail by the Mission Police Department for weapon possession and then released to immigration authorities in May 2019.
"Investigators were able to identify the suspect through details she provided in the letter which included the letter being sent from Canada and being jailed in our women’s detention facility. FBI also conducted a forensic examination of the letters which revealed four latent fingers that matched the defendant," a release states.
