Man in Critical Condition From Exposure to Ricin at Las Vegas Hotel

Las Vegas police are investigating how the container of lethal poison got into a room at the Extended Stay America Hotel. Police were called to the hotel Thursday after the man brought a bag holding a small container to the manager’s office. He said he found it in his hotel room while getting some of his things.

Tests showed that the substance in the container was ricin, a deadly toxin that is extracted from the castor bean. As little as a 0.2 milligram dose of ricin can kill an adult.

“We did have enough ricin to be of concern. At this point, it has been contained and processed where it’s not a threat to anybody,” said Capt. Joe Lombardo. He said castor beans were also found in the room. The beans are not illegal to own but they are illegal if they are used to poison someone.

Lombardo says it is unclear who left the ricin in the room. The FBI doesn’t believe the situation is terror related. “We don’t know who [the ricin] belongs to or why it would be here at this time,” said Lombardo.

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