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Husband Arrested In Cyanide Poisoning Death Of Doctor From Towson

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Detectives arrest the husband of a talented doctor from Maryland after she mysteriously dies from cyanide poisoning.

Christie Ileto reports--Robert Ferrante argues he's innocent.

University of Pittsburgh researcher Robert Ferrante is accused of giving his wife, Dr. Autumn Klein from Towson, a lethal dose of cyanide-- that he allegedly overnighted to his lab days before her death.

"The death certificate lists the death as acute cyanide toxicity and the manner of death as homicide," said William Difenderfer, defense attorney.

Ferrante was arrested Thursday in West Virginia, more than two months after his 41-year-old wife collapsed in their Pittsburgh home.

Reports show he called 9-1-1, saying Klein was having a heart attack.

"We believe he is going to be arraigned on the charges of criminal homicide. At that point, the prosecutors in that jurisdiction will begin working with our prosecutors from the District Attorney's Office for extradition proceedings."

In court documents just made public, unidentified witnesses at the emergency room told police when Ferrante saw his wife being examined his reaction seemed fake--like bad acting.

Friends also tell investigators Klein was intending to leave Ferrante.

But Ferrante's defense lawyer insists he had no part in his wife's death.

"We're ready to defend the case. He's adamant that he's innocent. I believe him, and I'm sure it will be a hell of a trial," Difenderfer said.

"We're all just devastated by the news," said a loved one.

Family friends in Towson are still coping with talented doctor's death.

Klein, featured on a Discovery Channel report about women with epilepsy, was chief of the Division of Women's Neurology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

She was a wife, and mother to a young daughter.

The university where Ferrante used to work placed him on indefinite leave. He's been denied access to the lab ever since the investigation into his wife's death.

The couple's daughter has been placed with her maternal grandparents.

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