Berkeley chemical engineer charged with trying to poison co-worker to death

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- A Berkeley engineer is in jail, charged with attempted murder. Police say he tried to poison a co-worker to death.

Morgan Davis just found out her longtime Lafayette neighbor, David Xu, is in jail, charged with attempted murder. She saw police on her street just days ago.

"I saw three officers in black with the city of Berkeley on the back," said Davis.

Xu is a chemical engineer at Berkeley Engineering and Research, police say he's charged with trying to kill a colleague by poisoning her food and water.

The Alameda County criminal complaint reveals "toxic amounts of Cadmium" was used.

Court papers say the victim noticed a "strange taste and smell from her water and food," that she had left unattended in her office. The woman became sick, her own relatives also got sick last fall when they drank from her water bottle.

Court documents say surveillance footage from the woman's office showed Xu adding a substance to the woman's water bottle on two occasions. Water samples taken from the bottle tested positive for cadmium. The alleged poisoning lasted almost a year and a half.

"That's insane, can't imagine anyone trying to poison anyone," said Davis.

BEAR Lab had no comment about the arrest,

Xu's Linkedin page says he has served as an engineering expert witness and consultant in materials and chemicals.

Someone at his Lafayette home declined comment and asked us to leave.

A motive remains unknown. Xu remains in the Berkeley jail.

The victim is recovering, she declined comment.