 Though Green was caring for Farrar in the family home while he recovered from his repeated bouts of illness , she was also continuing to drink heavily and , increasingly often , claiming to be contemplating suicide or to want Margaret Hacker dead . In late September , Farrar searched the house and her belongings . In her purse , he discovered seed packets labeled as castor beans , a copy of a supposedly @-@ anonymous letter that had been sent to Farrar urging him to not divorce Green , and empty vials of potassium chloride . He removed all three items from her purse and hid them . 
