‘Black Widow’, 39, poisoned much older man after meeting him on dating app, sheriff claims
A Florida woman has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly poisoning a 69-year-old man she met through a dating app, with the local sheriff describing her as a "black widow" motivated by money. Samantha Adams, 39, is accused of drugging the man's drink on at least three occasions during a paid romantic relationship, with one incident allegedly causing a benzodiazepine overdose that required hospitalisation.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the pair met online and that the victim, who knew Adams only as "Nala", paid her for sex over two to three months. Following a row on 17 August over a car he had bought her, Adams allegedly served him whiskey before demanding $1,000 to continue being intimate; he later collapsed and was hospitalised with a benzodiazepine overdose despite taking no such medication. Adams was arrested a week later carrying various prescription pills not in her name, and now faces charges including attempted murder, evidence tampering and prostitution offences; she is held on $42,500 bond, with investigators saying there may be further victims.
- Florida woman, 39, charged with poisoning man, 69, met via dating app
- Sheriff says she demanded money and drugged his drinks repeatedly
- She faces attempted murder charges; police probe possible other victims
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Samantha Adams, 39, met a 69-year-old man on a dating app and, according to police in Polk County, Florida, was paid by him for a romantic relationship over two to three months. He knew her only by the nickname "Nala". Investigators allege she drugged his drink with a sedative on at least three separate occasions during this period.
The case became public after the man was hospitalised in August with a drug overdose he could not explain, having taken no such medication himself. Local sheriff Grady Judd, who has publicly used the term "black widow" to describe Adams, alleges the poisoning happened after a dispute over a car the man had bought her, and that she demanded money before an incident that led to his collapse.
Adams was arrested carrying prescription pills not registered in her name and has been charged with attempted murder, tampering with evidence and prostitution-related offences. She is currently held on bond, and investigators say they are looking into whether there may be other victims, which is part of why the case has drawn wider attention.