Online feud looms over ricin investigation
The investigation into poisoned letters mailed to President Barack Obama and others has shifted from an Elvis impersonator to his longtime foe, and authorities must now figure out if an online feud between the two men might have escalated into something more sinister.
Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, was released from a north Mississippi jail on Tuesday and charges against him were dropped, nearly a week after authorities charged him with sending ricin-laced letters to the president, Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and an 80-year-old Lee County, Miss., Justice Court judge, Sadie Holland.
Before Curtis left jail, authorities had already descended on the home of 41-year-old Everett Dutschke in Tupelo, a northeast Mississippi town best known as the birthplace of the King himself. On Wednesday, they searched the site of a Tupelo martial arts studio once operated by Dutschke, who hasn’t been arrested or charged.
Curtis, who performs as Elvis and other celebrities, describes a bizarre, longstanding feud between the two, but Dutschke insists he had nothing to do with the letters. They contained language identical to that found on Curtis’ Facebook page and other websites, making him an early suspect.
Federal authorities have not said what led them to drop the charges against Curtis, and his lawyers say they’re not sure what new evidence the FBI has found.
On Wednesday, dozens of investigators were searching at a small retail space where neighboring business owners said Dutschke used to operate a martial arts studio. Officers at the scene wouldn’t comment on what they were doing.
Investigators in gas masks, gloves and plastic suits emerged from the business carrying five-gallon buckets full of items covered in large plastic bags. Once outside, others started spraying their protective suits with a mist.
Dutschke was seen outside the studio observing the search Wednesday. His attorney, Lori Nail Basham, said Dutschke is “cooperating fully” with investigators and that as of Wednesday afternoon no arrest warrant had been issued.
Authorities say the letters were mailed April 8, but the one sent to Holland was the only one to make it into the hands of an intended target.
She was the presiding judge in a case where Curtis was accused of assaulting a Tupelo attorney in 2003. Holland sentenced Curtis to six months in the county, but he served only part of the sentence, according to his brother.
After being released from jail in the ricin case Tuesday, Curtis described the longtime feud between himself and Dutschke.
Years ago the two worked together at Curtis’ brother’s insurance office, Curtis said.
Curtis said Dutschke once told him he owned a newspaper and showed interest in publishing Curtis’ book called “Missing Pieces,” about an underground market to sell body parts. But Dutschke decided not to publish the material, Curtis said, and later began stalking him on the Internet.
Dutschke said he didn’t even know Curtis that well.
“Last time we had any contact with each other was at some point in 2010 when I threatened to sue him for fraud for posting a Mensa certificate that is a lie,” Dutschke said. “He is not a Mensa member. That certificate is a lie.”
Curtis acknowledges posting the fake Mensa certificate on Facebook, but says he only put it there because he believed Dutschke, who also claimed to be a member of the organization for people with high IQs, was stalking him online. Dutschke started a campaign to prove him a liar, Curtis said, and allegedly harassed him through emails and social networking.
Curtis said the two agreed to meet at one point to face-off in person, but Dutschke didn’t show up.
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