Bond raised in alleged poisoning of mayor

Accused says bogus claim made because of race

? A woman accused of trying to kill Edwardsville Mayor Stephanie Eickhoff with tainted cupcakes and soda pop has been ordered back into custody after her former son-in-law told police she had threatened the mayor again.

The bond for Donna Ozuna-Trout, 47, was raised to $250,000 on Thursday because of the threat, and she was ordered to return to the Wyandotte County jail until she comes up with the extra money.

Both she and her husband, Ralph Trout, 57, are charged with attempted first-degree murder, but Wyandotte County District Judge Thomas L. Boeding declined to raise Ralph Trout’s bond.

The two, who have pleaded innocent, had been free on $50,000 bond.

The Trouts are accused of mailing contaminated cupcakes and pop last April to the Eickhoffs, who live across the street from them. Earlier this year, the Trouts were ordered to stand trial for attempted first-degree murder of Eickhoff and her husband, James Eickhoff, a captain at the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Ozuna-Trout has said she thinks Eickhoff concocted the poisoning scheme and planted evidence in Ozuna-Trout’s garbage as part of an ongoing feud. She said the families didn’t get along because she is a minority while her husband is white — a claim Eickhoff has called ridiculous.

Boeding raised Ozuna-Trout’s bond after a hearing Thursday in which Ozuna-Trout’s former son-in-law testified that she had threatened in July — after she was released from jail on bond — to get her husband’s guns and hurt the Eickhoffs

“She said she wanted to finish what she started,” said Christopher David Wiley of Kansas City, Kan., who had been married to Ozuna-Trout’s daughter. “She said she just wanted to take care of what needed to be done across the street.”

Wiley said he waited several months to come forward because he had not been aware that the Eickhoffs had three children.

But the Trouts’ attorney, James Colgan, questioned Wiley’s motives. He presented a note that Wiley’s mother had written in which she told her son to stand up to the Trouts.

“Let’s get them,” Colgan read from the letter.

But Wiley said he came forward because he thought the Eickhoffs might be in danger.

After the hearing, lawyer Ed Gillette, a family friend, warned that any bonding company that provides the bond for Ozuna-Trout would be liable if any harm comes to the mayor or her family.