The Deadly Aperitif

On the morning of Friday, August 1973, Renata, the wife of Tranquillo Allevi received a bottle of aperitif by a well known Italian liquor manufacturer along with an invitation to represent new sales campaign. It was addressed to her husband. Since Allevi was a prosperous dairy farmer, it was not uncommon for him to receive such invitations. When Allevi received the bottle from his wife, he placed it in the refrigerator at his office. One day, after dinner with Renata, he went to his office along with a salesman and another friend to clear up some business. The three rejoiced and indulged themselves with the chilled appetizer that awaited them in the refrigerator. As the other two gentlemen took sips of the beverage, and Allevi quickly finished his drink, “…Allevi crumpled to the floor. He was racked with spasms and gasping for breath.” (Press 254) Allevi died soon after, and his friends survived. All fingers pointed to Renata who was said to have lovers and admirers outside of her marriage. Suspected was a veterinary surgeon called Dr. Renzo Ferrari. Police discovered those 6 days previous to the incident, Ferrari had purchased 6 grams of strychnine.
According to wikipedia.com, strychnine is: a very toxic colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia or sheer exhaustion.
After proving that Ferari used a typewriter accesible to him in the town hall to write a false invitation and send it to Allevi. It was quite evident that Ferrari had poisioned Ferrari with the paraphanielia that was accesible to him. “The poision, according to the prosecution, had been inserted by syringe through the vork of the intact bottle. And the final, damning evidence was supplied by a represnetative of the drinks firm. He stated that although no bottle had been sent from the company to Mr. Allevi, one had been dispatched-with an invitation-to Dr. Renzo Ferrari.” (Press 256)