Roger Von Bergendorff: Las Vegas Ricin Man

The man hospitalized in Las Vegas after possible exposure to the deadly toxin ricin is Roger Von Bergendorff, according to a man who says he is Von Bergendorff’s cousin.
Thomas Tholen tells The Associated Press his cousin is -- quote -- “holding his own” at a hospital in intensive care.


RICIN found in Las Vegas Motel

Tholen says he’s not ready to talk about Von Bergendorff or the discovery Thursday of several vials of ricin at his cousin’s extended-stay motel room.

Tholen is from Riverton, Utah, near Salt Lake City. He arrived in Las Vegas after Von Bergendorff was hospitalized Feb. 14 in critical condition.

Police are trying to piece together how the rare deadly poison with no antidote ended up at the motel several blocks off the Las Vegas Strip.

Adding to the mystery, police say firearms and an “anarchist type textbook” were found in the same room where the ricin was discovered.