VA worker accused of poisoning, killing husband with eye drops

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Investigators in South Carolina said they’ve arrested and charged a woman with murder after she poisoned her husband.

Lana Sue Clayton is also charged with unlawful malicious tampering of food between the dates of July 19 and July 21.

Lana Clayton worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Charlotte, according to her Facebook page, The Herald in Rock Hill, South Carolina, reported.

Officials said Clayton’s husband, Stephen, died July 21 from poisoning. They said the crime took place at the couple’s home on Island Forks Road in Clover.

"It just makes no sense,” said Deborah Pollard, who lives nearby.

Authorities said toxicology tests found poisonous levels of tetrahydrozoline in the body of the victim. That's the chemical found in over-the-counter eye drops to relieve redness. Lana Clayton confessed to spiking his water with the chemical, according to The Herald.

"Somebody does something like that? That's crazy,” said Sean Magan, who lives nearby.

They said Lana Clayton admitted to giving her husband the substance without his knowledge.

"That's crazy,” Pollard said. “They're just finding all kinds of ways to do crazy things now a day aren't they."

Lana Clayton was booked into the York County Detention Center.

Neighbors told our sister-station, WSOC-TV, off-camera that the Claytons were married for eight years.

One woman said Lana attended a neighborhood Bible study and Stephen was known for his big personality.

Neighbors said Stephen Clayton’s funeral was held earlier this month in the backyard of their home before detectives determined his cause of death.

No other details were released.

Cox Media Group