THE MAREO CASE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 250, 20 July 1942, Page 6

THE MAREO CASE

Report Of World-Famous Toxicologist CONSIDERS FATAL DRUG SELF-ADMINISTERED (By Telegrai'li ITvss Association' AUCKLAND, July 19. In the considered opinion of Sir William Willcox, world-famous English toxicologist, who has since died, the late Mrs. Thelma Mareo died of a drug, self-administered. Her husband, Erie Mareo, a well known musician, was twice tried for the murder of his wife and was found guilty and sentenced *o death. The sentence was afterward commuted to life imprisonment. The first trial began ou February 17, 19116. Sir William Willvox’s report, is believed to be in tlie liamlrt of the Attorney-General. Mr. Alason. A copy was made available for publication by Air. Paul Verschaffelt, former Public Service Commissioner for New Zealand. The report states: “In my opinion the psycho-neurotie state aud mental breakdown from which Thelma Mareo suffered during the last few weeks of her life led to the taking of barbutone to relieve her symptoms and the mental unbalance resulting from this was associated with her taking a large fatal dose which caused her death. If she had access to veronal the drug was, in my opinion, self-administered as so commonly is the case in fatal cases of veronal poisoning.” After an exlmustive review of the full record of ihe first trial and also some information about the second, the opinion of Sir William AVillcox was that Thelma Alareo died from veronal pneumonia, lie stated: “This is the usual course of symptoms following a large fatal dose of veronal in which no medical treatment lias been given.”