Toxicologist convicted of killing husband

SAN DIEGO -- A former county toxicologist was convicted Tuesday in the death of her husband, who died two years ago of an overdose of the painkiller fentanyl.

A jury found Kristin Rossum guilty of murder in the death of her husband, Greg de Villers.

Rossum, 26, was a toxicologist at the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office at the time of de Villers's death on Nov. 6, 2000. Tuesday would have been his 29th birthday.

Prosecutors said Rossum killed her husband, a biotech worker, to keep him from telling her bosses that she was having an affair with her supervisor and was addicted to methamphetamine.

Rossum said de Villers took his own life because he was despondent that she was about to end their 17-month marriage. Rossum said she found de Villers unconscious and not breathing in the couple's bedroom, a wedding photo nearby and red rose petals scattered over him. No suicide note was found.