BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers man remains in the Benton County Jail after his arrest in connection with attempting to kill his wife with rat poison.
Bob Steward, 45, is being held on $250,000 bond in connection with attempted capital murder. Prosecutors haven't filed a formal charge against Steward.
Rogers police were called at 8:29 a.m. Sept. 25 to 3600 W. Lupine Drive. Janet Steward was in the driveway and told police her husband put rat poison in her coffee, according to a probable cause affidavit. Janet Steward told police her husband told her he was going to kill himself. She later heard a gunshot come from the bathroom.
Police apprehended Bob Steward, who told them he attempted to kill himself with a rifle, but missed when he fired the weapon.
Janet Steward told police her husband made her coffee while she was in the shower. She took a sip of the coffee and noticed a bitter taste. She said she poured the drink into the sink and noticed a green substance in the coffee, according to the affidavit.
Police found a white coffee cup with green residue in it. Police also found a package of d-Con rodent control under the sink when the home was searched, according to the affidavit.
Bob Steward told police he put d-Con pellets in his wife's coffee, but didn't think she would drink it because she normally didn't drink the coffee he made, the affidavit states. Bob Steward described it as a prank.
He told police his wife asked him to leave because he was texting a woman, but he had no place to go, according to the affidavit.
Bob Steward told police he had been thinking of killing his wife for a year and thought about setting their home on fire while she was in the shower. He told police he watches police shows on television. About six months ago he watched a program where a man used d-Con to poison and kill his wife, according to the affidavit.
Bob Steward told police he couldn't decide on using pellets or solid rat poison because he wanted his wife "to suffer a little bit," but not a lot because he felt like a prisoner in his home, the affidavit states.
His arraignment is scheduled to 8 a.m. Oct. 31 in Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.
NW News on 10/13/2016