CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There’s a twist in the eye drop murder case that’s getting national attention.
Joshua Hunsucker is a former paramedic accused of poisoning his wife with Visine. WCNC Charlotte has learned he’s also linked to a medical helicopter that was forced to make an emergency landing because of an arson onboard.
The fire happened just weeks before Hunsucker’s arrest.
Officers responded to a car dealership parking lot on East Independence around 1 a.m. on November 26. Then in December, Hunsucker was charged with murdering his wife.
WCNC Charlotte obtained dispatcher audio from broadcastify.com from the helicopter arson.
“Hey, do you have any calls in reference to a helicopter landing on the side of Independence Boulevard?" the dispatcher said.
Police say someone intentionally set fire to a syringe pump while the helicopter was in flight.
“It looks like it's one of CMC's aircrafts,” said someone on the dispatch audio from broadcastify. “Looks like it's landed here for some reason."
WCNC Charlotte has learned Hunsucker, who was a paramedic at the time, was onboard the flight.
In December, he was in court accused of murdering Stacy Hunsucker.
Investigators said he used eye drops to poison his wife in 2018. After an interrogation, prosecutors said there was enough information to arrest him.
“I don't know that he would characterize it as a confession, but it certainly approached that level, your honor,” the prosecutor said.
During court, Hunsucker’s attorney said they would take the case to trial.
“We anticipate that this case will be strenuously opposed,” his attorney said.
Hunsucker was a paramedic at Atrium Health but was fired on December 20. An Instagram account matching his name and likeness shows him in a flight paramedic uniform.
In court, WCNC Charlotte heard from Kelly Krueger who says she knew Stacy Hunsucker since high school.
“She did not deserve for this to happen to her,” said Krueger. “She was a great mother. She was a happy person"
In response to the helicopter arson, Atrium Health released a statement saying, “We are cooperating with law enforcement on an investigation. We would not want to do or say anything that might interfere with that. Any information would be best served coming from them.”
At this point, police said no one has been charged in connection with the helicopter arson.