Poisoned lotto winner's wife wants truth to come out

This transcript is automatically generated

Murder mystery in Illinois after a man hits the Lotto jackpot.

Only to wind up dead before you can -- Jack.

46 year old rouge -- died last July 1 day after his winning check was cut to him.

At first authorities said he died of natural causes.

But then a tip from an unknown -- -- member reopened the case.

And toxicology tests showed he was actually poisoned with cyanide.

His wife says she had nothing to do with it and has no idea who tipped off the cops that's who learned today she says it wasn't her.

Mark Furman is a former LAPD homicide detective in -- Fox News contributor.

Mark what a mystery here -- so she says that's -- that's a new piece today she says it wasn't me I was not the one who asked the cops.

The homicide V bed medical examiner to take another look at this.

Where do you think we stand in this case.

Well the first thing -- I mean I hope nobody dropped the ball bit on just on the onset you have a man that wins lottery.

That he is going to cash out he finally gets the check the day after he gets the check he dies at home.

Of supposedly natural causes now of course there's an autopsy ordered and I don't know the process in this municipality.

But if there was a detective at the autopsy which I hope there was.

The doctor says well looks like natural cause I mean would that be because he couldn't find any other cause so he says it hit the he have heart disease.

So you have to understand that cyanide works the same as a heart attack would -- so much as it deprives the heart muscle of oxygen.

And it shuts down so be it it's interesting that at that point they just.

It's a natural.

So.

Everything that happened before.

Was just a coincidence I don't believe in coincidences.

And then you right.

Any -- what you're saying it is a guy got murdered because of a lottery check and that so the question is who stood to gain.

I mean you have to look out is -- the -- -- -- it in the spouse but but who else and the and the question is mark how do you start eliminating.

Suspects like how do you start to narrow down.

Who would've had access to him and -- on.

Well it's it's pretty easy -- you go with the -- people that are closest and have the most access to the victim.

And then you work outward for them if you can't clear the people that are closest thing you stick with them and tell you can resolve that or you arrest them so you have.

Him dying in his home.

Now when you're gonna poison somebody you're gonna poison somebody either -- transferring through the skin liquid or indigestion.

Well it's obvious that his wife probably cooks his meals and he dies that night I mean you start there you're looking for.

Any any as sources of cyanide which can be and some cleaning fluids it can be and some -- graphics solutions to -- to process film.

Metal cleaning and then you can actually obtain cyanide so you're you're -- him for that.

Then you're looking for any kind of information that somebody in the home might have been researching.

Look at -- happening same situation.

And then as the police did they served a search war.

They're looking for all of these items there could be that could give her the means and I'll say another thing Megan.

That I am sure that the detectives at least now have offered.

The wife a polygraph so they can eliminate her and move away from baton but I have a feeling since she -- an attorney that she is declined that.

I want as major question going comeback number one how fast to cyanide work.

So what would be the window that they're investigating and then I also want to ask you whether they can Trace who made that phone call asking.

For another investigation because that person obviously knew there was some reason to be suspicious that's next stay with me.

He came -- someone who's drowning if you don't have oxygen for four minutes to bring guys.

Same thing with -- if you have a big enough -- They can prevent your cells from using oxygen so basically -- from the inside out once it gets of the brain gets into the south.

It starts to act very very quickly -- you have a large dose.

How people can expire within minutes.

Within minutes.

Our firm is back with me so.

Market -- doctor says it can happen within minutes do we know what this man was doing in the minutes prior to when he died.

I believe make -- here authority or gone to his -- at least that's what it it appears to be in the reporting of the accident so.

When when you look at Tennessee he ingested something previously obviously at dinner through drinker food and -- retires and he supposedly dies.

Of a heart attack but.

When you see the cyanide poisoning it can replicate some.

Some up facts or some visible signs of a heart attack but the medical examiner should have known.

The the situation here he should have been brought abreast of exactly what was going on and he should have ordered those tasks for any kind of poisons a special.

Cyanide and who would have been the person the Taliban that I'm in the white so we don't not -- I'm not trying to indict the -- that is that you wouldn't she would have been the one to try to say look you just won the Lotto FYI but I want to ask you but -- because.

Now she says she was not the one who asked for -- another look.

At the autopsy results.

All we know is that it was a relative and the police are not identifying the relative I don't know if they know and they're not telling us or they don't know.

But how important is that relative now to this case.

Well it's very important and I believe they do know they wrote a search warrant so -- its.

If they know the person they can be are reliable informant although confidential and they could keep that you know under their hat.

If it is just call an anonymous informant to be so intrusive without other evidence would be -- -- Very interesting -- man.

Boy oh boy you know you hear about bad things -- a lottery winners but that's while.

Watch Live

Poisoned lotto winner's wife wants truth to come out

Details

Clips

Editor's Picks

British terror probe expands in wake of attack

Labor unions breaking with President Obama on ObamaCare?

10 breakthrough technologies of 2013

Will there be justice for military sexual assault victims?

Bias Bash: A war on journalism?

Syrian refugee girls sold to help families survive

Sen. Marco Rubio outlines future of immigration reform

Buchanan: IRS is a 'rogue agency'

Massive fire breaks out at fuel-depot in Brazil

Holder's changing tune on involvement in journalist scrutiny

'The Five's advice for newly minted college grads

Cavuto: We're in a global war on terror

Transcript

Recommended