Haemanthus CTO Joseph LaChapelle departs amid scrutiny

Joseph LaChapelle, the Chief Technology Officer and key scientist behind the foundational patents of Austin-based startup Haemanthus, has resigned from the company. LaChapelle confirmed his departure on March 16, 2026, citing a conflict of interest related to a stealth startup he founded prior to joining Haemanthus.

Conflicting accounts regarding the exit have emerged. While LaChapelle maintains he resigned voluntarily, an internal source reported that founder Billy Evans claimed to have dismissed the CTO. The departure occurs as Haemanthus faces public comparisons to Theranos, a defunct blood-testing company led by Elizabeth Holmes. While the company has publicly rejected the “Theranos 2.0” label, claiming its light-based analysis methodology is distinct, the venture has drawn significant attention due to Evans's association with Holmes.

Separately, public interest in Elizabeth Holmes has resurfaced following the release of the documentary “You Can See Everything.” Legal records indicate Holmes's sentence was reduced by 12 months due to a retroactive rule change by the U.S. Sentencing Commission regarding “zero-point offenders.” She is expected to transfer to a halfway house in August 2027, with an official release date set for February 22, 2030.