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Man accused of trying to kill wife with ant poison charged with attempted murder

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. — A North Carolina man is facing charges after he was accused of attempting to kill his wife by feeding her ant poison, according to multiple reports.

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Authorities on Monday charged Eugene Richard Pittman, 52, with attempted first-degree murder, The Fayetteville Observer reported.

According to the newspaper, the charge was filed after Pittman put Terro Ant Killer on his wife's food on May 12. Pittman was charged with attempting to kill his wife "with malice and with specific intent to kill formed after premeditation and deliberation," the Observer reported.

An arrest warrant obtained by WTVD showed that Pittman's wife "noticed a funny taste in her meal" while she was eating in May. She told authorities that she later fell asleep.

"The woman said she woke up later to find that her hands and mouth were duct taped, and Eugene was holding her nose shut," WTVD reported. "She said Eugene told her she had two choice: that she could leave or she could die."

Jail records showed Pittman had been released on bail by Tuesday afternoon.