GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Joshua Hunsucker, the former paramedic charged with killing his wife by poisoning her with eye drops in 2018, was back in the courtroom Friday for a hearing related to his most recent arrest.
Hunsucker, wearing an orange jumpsuit, was emotionless as he sat next to his attorney. He was indicted this week on new charges, including four counts each of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice.
Friday's hearing was his initial appearance on those charges. Hunsucker requested a public defender because his assets are tied up in civil litigation over the death of his wife, Stacy Robinson Hunsucker.
A court document filed on Aug. 6 accuses Hunsucker of poisoning his daughter with the same substance that killed his wife in September 2018. Attorneys claim this was an attempt to pin his wife's death on his former in-laws to "remove the Robinsons from the lives of his daughters."
"Based on the fact that Hunsucker's assets are frozen in a civil wrongful death case, he does not have assets to access obtain counsel on new charges," David Teddy, Hunsucker's defense attorney said. "So we ask that we appoint a public defender to represent him on new charges."
The judge approved the request. Hunsucker is being held without bond on the new charges. He was out of jail on bond before his most recent arrest. Teddy said Hunsucker's public defender will address a potential bond with Hunsucker at a later time.
Teddy asked that a motion to revoke Hunsucker's bond for his murder charge be postponed to give the defense time to prepare. He also said he believed that Hunsucker's bond on new charges could be addressed during that later hearing. District Attorney Travis Page said they were comfortable postponing Hunsucker's bond hearing until Oct. 7.
Stacy Robinson Hunsucker's family was at Friday's hearing but didn't speak afterward. Their attorney issued a brief statement to WCNC Charlotte.
"From the Robinsons' perspective, safety is paramount for their family, their grandkids," he said. "They are thankful and appreciative of the district attorney and the continued effort to investigate and seek justice for Stacy."
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