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France's 'Black Widow' on trial for drugging, killing another husband

Manuela Gonzalez, dubbed the "Black Widow" of the French Alps for her history of poisoned partners, is on trial for the murder of her husband, Daniel Cano. She is accused of drugging her husband with sleeping pills and then burning him to death in his car near their home. Gonzalez has maintained her innocence.

By JC Finley

PARIS, April 15 (UPI) -- The murder trial of a woman dubbed the "Black Widow of Isère" began Monday in France.

Manuela Gonzalez faces charges of drugging her husband, Daniel Cano, with sleeping pills and burning him to death in his car. She was dubbed the "Black Widow" of the French Alps, after it came to light her previous two partners died under suspicious circumstances and two others nearly died.

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In 2008, Daniel Cano's charred remains were discovered in his burned out car near their home in the Isère region of the French Alps.

The prosecution charges that Gonzalez killed her husband for his life insurance, which totaled $227,650.60, to cover the cost of the home she re-mortgaged in 2008 without her husband's knowledge.

Four previous lovers were drugged under suspicious circumstances, and two died. In 1983, Gonzalez's then-husband went into a coma after an overdose of anti-depressants, and divorced her after he awoke. In 1984, while dating a jeweler, she spiked his tea with morphine in an attempt to solicit a check for $16,729. She was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.

In 1989, Gonzalez's partner died of asphyxiation from the fumes of his car in his garage; at the time, his death was ruled a suicide. In 1991, another partner was killed in an apartment fire. Although she was accused of starting the fire, the charges were later dropped.

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Gonzalez has maintained her innocence. A verdict is expected Friday.

[The Telegraph]

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