Mt. Holly man accused of killing wife with eyedrops allegedly kidnapped, sources say

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — A man accused of killing his wife with eyedrops and setting a medical helicopter on fire now claims he was the victim of a kidnapping, sources say.

A police report says Joshua Hunsucker was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted Saturday night near Mount Holly.

Channel 9′s Ken Lemon learned Hunsucker reportedly had car problems on a stretch of Lucia Riverbend Highway Saturday evening.

Sources told Lemon he told police was kidnapped and his hands were tied with zip ties. They also told Lemon that Hunsucker said he was injected with an unknown substance.

Neighbors said police thoroughly searched the area Saturday and detectives started asking more questions Monday.

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Hunsucker is the Mount Holly man who made national news when he was charged with killing his wife, Stacy. He’s accused of putting fatal doses of eyedrops into her water over the course of weeks.

Now, he’s claiming he is a victim. Gaston County police are also asking questions about what may have happened that night.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance is prosecuting Hunsucker in the murder trial, but local district attorney’s office was involved early on.

Neither Hunsucker nor his attorney are talking publicly about the investigation, but veteran defense attorney Brent Ratchford says it could have an impact on Hunsucker’s pending murder trial.

“It’s going to muddy the waters,” Ratchford said.

Hunsucker’s attorney asked for a change of venue because of coverage around the trial. That request was denied, but Ratchford said this latest case will bring Hunsucker even more attention.

Hunsucker, a former MEDIC, is also charged with arson. Last week, he pleaded not guilty to setting fire inside a medical helicopter several weeks before he was charged with his wife’s murder.

Ratchford predicts there will be another request for a change of venue for the murder trial.

“Because you want a jury that’s not familiar with all of the news coverage, just to ensure fairness,” he said.

Ratchford said this latest case -- the one involving allegations of kidnapping -- may have the DA’s office working a case with Hunsucker as a victim.

“It happens more than you think,” he said.

He said prosecutors often seek a conviction against someone and also work a separate case where that same person is a victim.

“Lawyers are trained to do that.,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a case-by-case event, sometimes an issue-by-issue situation, but in some cases it’s a very hard road to walk.”

He said they may give the kidnapping case to the attorney general’s office or a prosecutor from another area.

The Gaston County Police are just starting their investigation into the alleged kidnapping and unwanted injection. Cars often come through, but there are no homes within earshot of the area. Only one person who lives nearby said they heard sirens Saturday evening.

(WATCH BELOW: Man accused of killing wife with eyedrops charged with setting fire on medical helicopter)

Man accused of killing wife with eyedrops charged with setting fire on medical helicopter

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