Prosecutors: Puffer fish suspect said he wanted to kill himself

LAKE IN THE HILLS – Court documents filed this week detail what a Lake in the Hills man told investigators about why he ordered a lethal toxin with no known antidote.

Federal investigators said Edward F. Bachner IV posed as a medical researcher and tried to order 98 milligrams of the toxin, called TTX and found naturally in puffer fish.

"He said he learned about TTX from doing research on the Internet and claimed he acquired it to either do research or kill himself if his situation with work, life, and marriage did not improve," state court documents filed in response to a motion to have post-arrest statements thrown out.

Bachner's attorney, James Marcus, said that his client's rights were violated by investigators' refusal to allow him an attorney or take bathroom breaks during the 2 1/2-hour interrogation.

Bachner told investigators that it was his understanding that it would take 50 milligrams of TTX to kill someone, prosecutor Mark T. Karner wrote. However, less than 1 milligram can cause vomiting, seizures and death, said Michael Evans, president and CEO of AIT Laboratories, which performs lab work for the McHenry County Coroner's Office.

"If that did not work out, Bachner said he wanted to do something that had never been done before, like develop a cure," Karner said. "Although he readily admitted he did not have a science or medical background."

Bachner was arrested June 30, 2008, after picking up a package from the Algonquin UPS store that prosecutors said he knew contained TTX. An FBI agent posed as a store employee and gave Bachner the package.

When searching Bacher's home, authorities found fake CIA credentials, a handgun, more than 50 knives, and books with topics such as lock-picking and how to make silencers.

Marcus has said that many of the items found had explanations. For example, the "multiple needles and syringes" were being used for his wife, Rebecca's, fourth round of in vitro fertilization.

FBI investigators also questioned Bachner about an alleged murder-for-hire plot in 2005 against his wife, and he admitted that she was the target, prosecutors said.

Bachner told them that "those were dark times" and that he fantasized about something happening to his wife.

"He also said that he was 'not sure' if he [would have] carried out the plan if he had found someone to kill his wife," according to the documents. "However, he denied possessing or having access to an AK-47."

After arresting Bachner, agents towed his Chrysler Concorde to his home and searched it, finding 20 vials of TTX inside a shoulder bag in the passenger compartment. An additional 25 vials were found in the truck, the documents show.

Bachner's next court appearance is scheduled for June 18.