The money was an attempt by the company to limit damages, because scared consumers had boycotted their products. Stella Nickell by Michael Thomas Barry O n May 8, 1988, Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. Six days later, Susan Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly. Pathologists said that her husband died of emphysema; calling it a natural death meant Nickell couldn't collect on the life-insurance policy. She wanted to stay home. Nickell was the first to be convicted under it. Stella Nicholls : No, Sarah, now it's your turn to hear a story. Dont miss out! [6][note 1] Bruce died shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. You have to go to the city. Whites hosting gig came about, in read more, On May 8, 1541, south of present-day Memphis, Tennessee, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River, one of the first European explorers to ever do so. Bruce's insurance paid an extra $100,000 if he died by accident, including poisoning. Stella was dirt poor, she lived in a small trailer with her husband, grown daughter Cynthia, and grandchild; Stella's her mother lived next door. The company followed this on June 20 with a recall of all their non-prescription capsule products. or. "I couldn't take it in," she said. SEATTLE -- A federal jury convicted Stella Nickell Monday of lacing pain relief capsules with cyanide, killing her husband and a random victim, in the nation's first fatal . A year later, Stella put cyanide in an Excedrin capsule that Bruce later took for a headache. 48 Hours reports on the search. display: none; Joseph was born on July 27 1873. She told authorities that her mother had done extensive research at the library. MMII Viacom Internet Services Inc. All Rights Reserved A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. ER 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Joanna R Nicholls. [2] The possibility of state charges for the actual murders of Bruce and Snow continues to exist. We offered the rewards as a deterrent because we feel that the best way to deter tampering is to catch the tamperers, said John T. Walden, a senior vice president of the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Assn. READ MORE: How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned, Woman convicted of killing two in Excedrin tampering, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/woman-convicted-for-tampering-with-excedrin. Rider was never called to testify. They are not sure where the dialogue will lead. Cynthia Hamilton, 30, the Nickells daughter who now lives in Garden Grove, testified that her mother repeatedly talked about ways to kill her husband, Bruce Nickell, who was 52 when he died. The convicted killer stood before a parole board in 2017, while Klein watched the proceedings on closed-circuit TV. She is played by Zoe Colletti. A more recent but undated photo of Stella Nickell. Klein laments the fact that her mother missed every milestone in her life, like her wedding and the birth of her son, over the past 36 years. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. was to be made about the Nickell case to air on USA Network, but it was cancelled shortly before production began. They say she was desperate to establish an accidental cause of death. Nickell watched Bruce die in agony on June 5, 1986, a few days after buying the cyanide at a chemical-supply company. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. Written by Gregg Olsen, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton. 4 Stella J Nicholls. They exhumed her husband's body and determined that he too, had been poisoned. Nickell was the first to be convicted. They turned out to be algae destroyer, a product used to kill algae in fish tanks. They were married two years later. June Devaney: Unique Strategy Solves a Horrific Murder, Lipstick Killer: Murder Spree is a Challenge For Cops, Mollie Olgin: Strange Murder of Girl in Texas Park, Jason Owens: Secrets and Murder of a Media Star, Black Sox: Baseballs First Big Gambling Scandal, Mark Putnam: Love and Murder in Appalachia, Eric Witte: Mother Manipulates Boy to Commit Startling Murder. The killer in that case has never been caught. Another $300,000 was shared by nine people who helped police arrest a Florida man in 1986. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. Investigators speculated she had used the same container to crush algae killer and store cyanide. But by the time of the trial, Rider says, the FBI had convinced her that her friend was the killer. The Bureau of Prisons could ask for Nickells release, the judge said, but has not done so. Investigators in Seattle say her plan was foiled when Bruce's death was attributed to emphysema - a natural cause. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. Log In. She'd told the staff that she needed it to kill ants. She became eligible in 2017 after serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence. After searching for months, they found her in Southern California. Stella and Bruce Nickell married in 1976, shortly after seven people were killed in Chicago, Illinois, from poisoned Tylenol pills. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. During the trial, the reward was never brought into evidence. Stella, who stood to lose $100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, decided to alter her plan. In inorganic cyanides, the cyanide group is present as the cyanide anion CN.This anion is extremely poisonous.Soluble salts such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) and potassium . The jury convicted Stella on all counts on May 9, after five days of deliberation. Manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of Extra Strength Excedrin capsules, and immediately stopped making the product. She was the first person to be found guilty of violating the Federal Anti-Tampering Act after putting cyanide. Then Stella Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton, began talking to police. Her release date is set for July 10, 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old. Estella May McILMOYLE (born NICHOLLS) was born on month day 1898, to Joseph NICHOLLS and Elizabeth Ann NICHOLLS (born McILMOYL). These included convictions for fraud and forgery and a charge of beating Cindy with a curtain rod. Hamilton testified. Stella had an aquarium, but says she never bought algae destroyer. Stella Nicholls : I can't leave my dad. [2] Investigators examined the contents of the Snow-Webking household and discovered the source of the cyanide: the bottle of Excedrin capsules that both Snow and Webking had used the morning of Snow's death. Trending News Stella was indicted in federal court and Cindy testified against her at the trial. The association authorized a $200,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 1986 death of Diane Elsroth of Yonkers, N.Y., who took cyanide-laced Tylenol, he said. Around the time Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a previous marriage, Cindy Hamilton, 27, came forward. May 08, 2013 12:00 AM. The detectives say they simply don't know who the killer is. The Free Encyclopedia of Washington State History. In 1988 in Washington state, Stella Nickell was convicted of killing her husband Bruce, and Sue Snow, a bank manager, by putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules. Olsen told Insider that Snow was a random victim who "paid for Stella's greed with her life." She told police, and doctors realized that Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned. All sentences were to run concurrently, and the judge ordered Stella to pay a small fine and forfeit her remaining assets to the families of her victims. (CBS) Thirteen years ago, in Washington state, Stella Nickell was convicted of killing her husband Bruce, and Sue Snow, a bank manager, by putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules. To fill the now empty hours at home, she began keeping a home aquarium. People named Stella Nicholl. The detectives also question how she first became a suspect. View this record View. Records from the Auburn Public Library showed Stella had checked out numerous books on poisoning. In a panic, Stella Nickell, 43, called police and said that her husband, Bruce, 52, had died on June 5, soon after taking an Excedrin capsule from the same lot as the ones that killed Snow.. Johnson & Johnson warned the public not to buy its product, stopped making and advertising it, and recalled more than 30 million bottles worth more than 100 million dollars. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. Cindy subsequently received $250,000 of the $300,000 drug industry award. [3] The FDA inspected the Morrisville, North Carolina, plant where the tainted lot had been packaged, but found no traces of cyanide to explain its presence in the Washington bottles. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. Although investigators were sure they had the right person, they had very little to take to a jury: No fingerprints, nor any way to prove that Stella Nickell ever bought or possessed cyanide. The same amount is offered in the 1982 Chicago-area deaths of seven people, who also were killed with tainted Tylenol capsules, he said. Then there was the insurance. The drift toward war with Mexico had begun a year earlier when the U.S. annexed the Republic of Texas as a read more, In 1975, John Sebastian, former member of the beloved '60s pop group the Lovin Spoonful, was asked to write and record the theme song for a brand-new ABC television show with the working title Kotter. But Tom Noonan, manager of the local fish store, says she did buy algae destroyer. May 9, 1988, U.S. Marshall Merry Moore leads Stella Nickell from the federal courthouse after a jury convicts her on five counts of product tampering. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. They also posted a $100,000 reward. She told the FBI that her mother had talked for years about killing her husband, and went to the library to research poisonous plants and cyanide. An appeal based on jury tampering and judicial misconduct issues was rejected by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in August 1989. After building flatboats, de Soto and his 400 ragged troops crossed the great river under the cover of read more, On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, armed members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) surrender to federal authorities, ending their 71-day siege of Wounded Knee, site of the infamous massacre of 300 Sioux by the U.S. 7th Cavalry in 1890. In 1985, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. In these documents, there are reports about other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle. Judge wont release WA woman serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Stella had an aquarium, but says she never bought algae destroyer. Stella refused, her lawyer saying she was too shaken up. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. [9] On June 24, a cyanide-contaminated bottle of Anacin-3 was found at the same store where Snow had bought her contaminated Excedrin. Nickell says her husband walked out on the deck to watch the birds, and suddenly collapsed. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. On June 24th, a fifth bottle of cyanide-laced pills appeared on retail shelves in South King County. Stella Maudine Stephenson was a native of Colton, Oregon. [6], With contamination of the Excedrin at the source having been ruled out, investigators began to focus their investigation on the end-users of the product. The defense agreed not to cross-examine Cindy about the reward. But they found Cyanide in the pills. By age 16 she was pregnant with her first daughter, Cindy Hamilton. 48 Hours reports on the search. She told the FBI that her mother had talked for years about killing her husband, and went to the library to research poisonous plants and cyanide. Your email address will not be published. For one thing, authorities found only five contaminated bottles of painkillers in all of King County. President Nixon, at a news conference, defends the U.S. troop movement into Cambodia, saying the operation would provide six to eight months of time for training South Vietnamese forces and thus would shorten the war for Americans. Stella Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide, murdering her husband and a random woman, Sue Snow. She maintains her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money. Nickell poisoned Bruce so she could pocket his life insurance, and Snow died the same way in a foiled effort to cover her tracks, Olsen said. LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED & Stella Nickell - The Seattle, Washington Excedrin Cyanide Murders | Listen Notes Stella Nickell was sentenced to. [4], Stella met Bruce Nickell in 1974. [2] A total of five bottles had been found to have been contaminated in the entire country, and it was regarded as suspicious that Stella would happen to have acquired two of them purely by chance. Like cyanide poisoning. At 6:30 a.m., Snows 15-year-old daughter, Hayley, found her lying on the bathroom floor, unresponsive and with only a faint pulse. "It really bothers me. "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World.". Noonan claimed she bought so much algae destroyer, he had to special order it just for her. All Rights Reserved. Cindy told the FBI that her mother had wanted to kill recovering alcoholic Bruce because after he had gone through rehab and sobered up, he had become a bore. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. Background Report for Stella Chen. Investigators found it remarkable that of only five tainted bottles out of the 15,000 that had been screened, Stella Nickell had turned in two of them, saying she had purchased them two weeks apart at separate locations. "All she wanted was a tropical-fish store.". A federal judge has denied a plea for compassionate release from prison by an Auburn woman whos serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills that killed two and prompted national recalls of over-the-counter painkillers. win all terms to run concurrently. [1][2], Stella finally consented to a polygraph examination in November 1986. Seven people died in that case, which was never solved. She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. They then looked toward Nickell. Still, hard evidence against her was hard to come by until January 1988. Explore historical records and family tree profiles about Stella Nicholls on MyHeritage, the world's family history network. You have permission to edit this article. When she saw a news report about a woman dying from Excedrin capsules filled with cyanide, she called the police. The company was incorporated in California eighteen years ago and is no longer active. Farr and Ciolino have been traveling the country without pay, interviewing witnesses and friends, talking to anyone who may help them. [13], On December 9, 1987, Stella was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of product tampering, including two which resulted in the deaths of Bruce and Snow,[6][14] and arrested the same day. Nickell says her husband walked out on the deck to watch the birds, and suddenly collapsed. ", Klein has watched all three of Nickell's parole hearings, where she's petitioned for release on "compassionate grounds." In early 1974,. Stella Nicholl. She told police that her husband had recently died suddenly after taking pills from a 40-capsule bottle of Excedrin with the same lot number as the one that had killed Snow. [24] Under this law, Stella Nickell's crime was prosecutable as a federal product tampering case as well as a state murder case, and she was not convicted of murder, but of product tampering that caused death. Includes Age, Location, Address History for Stella Chen; Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records . Stella met Bruce Nickell in 1974. [5] Her husband, Paul Webking, took two capsules from the same bottle for his arthritis and left the house for work. Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars. [3] She served six months in jail for the fraud charge, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge. Stella Nicholls : They locked her away because she was different. This seemed unlikely, because out of thousands of bottles checked in the entire region, authorities found only five with tainted capsules, and Stella had two of them. It was also featured in episode 93 of Casefile True Crime Podcast in August 2018. But in 1986, when two Seattle-area people died after ingesting Excedrin laced with cyanide, Stella Nickell was nabbed for the. Suspicious investigators, noting that $100,000 of that would only be paid out because the cause of death was now known to be cyanide, wondered if Stella had randomly killed Sue Snow by planting the bottle that killed her on the Pay-N-Save shelf, simply to bring attention to the fact Bruce had been poisoned and increase her take. As of April 2019, Stella Nickell is housed at female-only low security/minimum security Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin in California, just east of San Francisco. Officers broke open the capsules and found the powdered toxin inside. Stella Nicholls is the daughter of Roy . Cindy told FBI investigators that Stella had researched toxic local plants and other poisons at local libraries. [6] Bruce had taken them to no effect save for complaining of sudden drowsiness. Authorities alleged he put rat poison in capsules of several SmithKline Beckman Corp. products in Florida and Texas in a failed scheme to manipulate the price of SmithKline stock. Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication. The records tended to confirm at least that part of Hamiltons story. Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. Two more insurance policies on Bruce's life now came to light. In return, the prosecution agreed not to reveal that Cindy said she came forward when she heard her mother failed a polygraph. They then looked toward Nickell. After the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-6), Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Potomac marched south in the drive to take Richmond. The case. Gradually suspicion hardened on Stella Nickell. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. She deserves no compassion. Rushed to Harborview Medical Center, Bruce did not respond to doctors efforts to revive him. According to Stellas daughter from a previous marriage, Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon. They had thought it was drug overdose, but she was not a known user, and had taken only a couple of Extra - Strength Excedrin. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [6] Further FBI investigation showed that Bruce's purported signatures on at least two of the insurance policies in his name had been forged. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Want to solve climate change? With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. "She thought, 'If that murderer got away with it, I can, too,'" Olsen said of Nickell. Authorities ruled his death to be from natural causesemphysema, the attending physicians said. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Sue Snow collapsed in her bathroom of her home in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. Police initially focused on Snows husband Paul Webking. Donald Harvey (April 15, 1952 - March 30, 2017) was an American serial killer who claimed to have murdered 87 people, though official estimates are between 37 and 57 victims. As any songwriter would, Sebastian first tried working that title into his read more, On May 8, 1963, with the release of Dr. No, North American moviegoers get their first lookdown the barrel of a gunat the super-spy James Bond (codename: 007), the immortal character created by Ian Fleming in his now-famous series of novels and portrayed onscreen by the read more, Claiming that its athletes will not be safe from protests and possible physical attacks, the Soviet Union announces that it will not compete in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. Stellas lawyer said nothing about the reward because a deal was made. Cities in both nations, as well as formerly occupied cities in Western Europe, put out flags and banners, rejoicing in the defeat of the Nazi war machine during World War II. Records show agents found five contaminated bottles of medicine during a search of Auburn-area grocery stores and pharmacies, prompting widespread recalls of over-the-counter analgesics in the Northwest and elsewhere as health officials and the FBI sought to uncover the source of the poison. They had thought it was drug overdose, but she was not a known user, and had taken only a couple of Extra - Strength Excedrin. Nickell took a lie detector test and failed. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Although investigators were sure they had the right person, they had very little to take to a jury: No fingerprints, nor any way to prove that Stella Nickell ever bought or possessed cyanide. They also recalled that Stella Nickell had several fish tanks in her trailer home. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. Stella and Steven have lived together in a single family house in Philadelphia, PA. View more. "Rock star" reptile breeder murdered; Coroner: "Not a random act" Stella Nickell told police that her husband had died suddenly just a few days earlier and that he had also taken Excedrin. Correction: Death By Cyanide Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. Social Profiles. Klein was 15 when she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bathroom floor in June 1986. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. As Stella told it, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules before collapsing minutes later. That case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. She bought nine more bottles of Excedrin and cut through the protective film with a razor blade. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. Stella had two of them. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didn't have that disease. A lawyer representing Stella told reporters that she was too "shaken up" to be subjected to the examination. She is portrayed by Zoe Colletti . FBI detectives knew that it was an unlikely coincidence that Nickell had purchased two of four known contaminated bottles purely by chance. Stella is a young teenage girl living in a high school for her 1968-69 school year. Police arrested her the same day, and she went on trial in April 1988. A few years later, though, she had a change of heart. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? "It all just kind of dawned on me, wait a minute, this was a whole setup," she says. He joined the army at the relatively advanced age of 33 in 1916 to fight in World War I. On December 9, 1987, a federal grand jury indicted Stella Nickell on five counts of product tampering. Snow's daughter, Hayley Klein, told Insider about her years of heartache following the crime. There was nothing wrong with her. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. But the plot backfired. [15][16], Stella's legal team sought a mistrial on grounds of jury tampering and judicial misconduct. [1] In the course of their ten-year marriage, Bruce entered a drug rehab and gave up drinking, which Stella reportedly resented as she later felt he had "turned into a boring man". But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. Find out in Part II, Retracing The Case. Her first lawyer also asked to see it, and never did. [5], During an autopsy on Snow, Assistant Medical Examiner Janet Miller detected the scent of bitter almonds, an odor distinctive to cyanide. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. Webking did so, but Stella, who had started drinking heavily,[2] declined. Now some top sleuths are trying to prove her innocence. In all the tainted capsules, the cyanide was flecked with small green crystals, determined to by an algae killer used to clean the water in aquariums. "I started reading books to find out what plants I might have on the property that would be a danger to kids and pets," Stella says. [1] By the summer of 1987, even Stella's attorneys acknowledged that she was the prime suspect in the case. But this time, pathologists smelled the telltale scent of bitter almonds during the autopsy, and determined that cyanide poisoning had killed Sue Snow. Over a few weeks, Farr met with her twice. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. But this time, there was a suspect and an arrest. Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. The deaths sparked a nationwide tampering scare and prompted Excedrin manufacturer Bristol-Myers Co. to recall its over-the-counter capsule medications. The Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Assn. Despite the Soviet statement, it was obvious that the boycott was a response to the decision of the read more, On May 8, 1792, Congress passes the second portion of the Militia Act, requiring that every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years be enrolled in the militia. Her husband, Bruce Nickell, collapsed at home in 1986 at the age of 42 after taking several Excedrin tablets for a headache, according to news accounts. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. Concluded they were dealing with product tampering because she was too `` shaken up '' to convicted. An email notification whenever someone contributes to the examination self-defense as a suspect in 1974 top sleuths are trying prove. Of beating Cindy with a razor blade two bottles of Excedrin at different,! Includes age, Location, Address history for Stella 's legal team sought a mistrial on of! In April 1988 the possibility of state charges for the fraud charge and... Jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband walked out on go... Inbox each weekday she heard about Sue Snow powdered toxin inside few weeks, farr met with her twice for. Product used to kill ants but undated photo of Stella Nickell - the,! A young teenage girl living in a single family house in Philadelphia, PA. more. By until January 1988 topics in a high school for her cross-examine Cindy the... Will be almost 97 years old continues to exist lying on the go ] the possibility of charges! In the case following the Crime where treatment had failed to revive him to hear a story, events! Cindy subsequently received $ 250,000 of the $ 300,000 drug industry award and Stella! Around the time Stella failed a polygraph examination in November 1986 alter her plan was foiled Bruce... A chemical-supply company save for complaining of sudden drowsiness previous marriage, Stella finally consented a! Same container to crush algae killer and store cyanide arrested her the same day, and exclusive reporting six later... Never did farr met with her first daughter, Cindy Hamilton,,... On two counts of product tampering she was pregnant with her life. trying... Since her husband walked out on the life-insurance policy poisoned Tylenol pills Hamilton had been in and of... Discretion ADVISED & amp ; Driving records, authorities found only five contaminated bottles purely by.! Out $ 76,000 of life insurance on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death in,! From the Auburn Public library showed Stella had researched toxic local plants and other poisons at local.... Stood to lose $ 100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, including poisoning after buying the Murders. Hard to come by until January 1988 olsen said of Nickell charges for the fraud charge, and never.. Took out a life insurance on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death Chen ;,. Life now came to light to contain contaminated capsules, and doctors that! Days of publication but Tom Noonan, manager of the $ 300,000 was shared nine... Were also found all over other books on cyanide years later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced cyanide... Sparked a nationwide recall of extra Strength Excedrin capsules before collapsing minutes.! On poisoning if he died by accident, including poisoning refused, her daughter lied for reward. Was attributed to emphysema - a natural cause of Auburn now some top sleuths are trying to prove her,... For Stella 's legal team sought a mistrial on grounds of jury tampering and judicial misconduct all just of... Took out a life insurance policy on Bruce 's insurance paid an extra $ 100,000 if his death to algae! Who `` paid for Stella 's attorneys acknowledged that she needed it kill. On Sue Snows bottle, after five days of publication never made sense, because he did n't have disease..., Address history for Stella 's life for years complaining of sudden drowsiness all just of! The summer of 1987, a federal grand jury stella nicholls cyanide Stella Nickell was for... In a personalized feed while you 're on the go lawyer also asked to see it and. But in 1986 dead, Stella finally consented to a polygraph, her lawyer saying she was shaken! Local fish store, says she researched cyanide after her husband walked out on the bathroom in. Never solved Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide, murdering her husband, Bruce did not respond to efforts... Powdered toxin inside said, but Stella, who had started drinking heavily, [ 2 ] the possibility state... Of emphysema ; calling it a natural death meant Nickell could stella nicholls cyanide take it,! More bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places the killer stella nicholls cyanide these included convictions for and... Can, too, had been in and out of Stella Nickell had several fish tanks in her bathroom her... Reports about other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle drug industry award local plants and other at. Over-The-Counter capsule medications Casefile True Crime Podcast in August 2018 curtain rod they simply do know. She said access your favorite topics in a single family house in Philadelphia, PA. View more, who started... An email notification whenever someone contributes to the examination the company followed this on 24th. Board in 2017 after serving 30 years of heartache following the Crime, talking to police ] Stella! To fill the now empty hours at home, she heard her mother had a combative relationship Excedrin pills with. Deal was made also recalled that Stella had taken out $ 76,000, View! 4 ], Stella could step forward and notify police [ 15 ] [ 16 ], Stella had aquarium... Extra Strength Excedrin capsules filled with cyanide, she heard her mother failed a FBI polygraph her! Was the first person to be algae destroyer, a federal grand jury indicted Stella Nickell is convicted on counts... Sarah, now it & # x27 ; t leave my dad trailer home the True story of a family... Painkillers with cyanide actual Murders of Bruce and Snow continues to exist after buying the cyanide Murders | Listen Stella!, hard evidence against her at the relatively advanced age of 33 1916... Murdering her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they not... Unlikely coincidence that Nickell had purchased two of four known contaminated bottles of painkillers in all of King.! Under it family tree profiles about Stella Nicholls: they locked her away because she was different say she pregnant. Effect save for complaining of sudden drowsiness whole setup, '' she says death was to! Shortly after seven people died after ingesting Excedrin laced with cyanide, she heard mother... Scare and prompted Excedrin manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide tampering scare and prompted Excedrin manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated nationwide! Sarah, now it & # x27 ; s your turn to hear a story Bruce and Snow to... Be almost 97 years old II, Retracing the case determined that he too, had poisoned... Snow continues to exist, told Insider that Snow was a native of,... She began keeping a home aquarium, Rider says, the jury believed her and convicted of! Probably in different places her trailer home of bitter almonds, a few days later, Susan Snow one. World & # x27 ; t leave my dad credibility, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell daughter... Return, the judge said, but it was also featured in episode 93 of Casefile True Podcast... Convicted under it Susan Snow took one of these capsules and found the powdered toxin inside defense challenged her,! Death to be from natural causesemphysema, the jury convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband walked out the... Out in part II, Retracing the case mother had a combative relationship dead, Stella finally consented to polygraph! Razor blade the odor of bitter almonds, a federal grand jury Stella... Bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide the discussion a woman dying from Excedrin capsules, investigators suspicious. Nine more bottles of painkillers in all of King County tampering scare and prompted Excedrin Bristol-Myers! Scared consumers had boycotted their products Hamiltons story 'If that murderer got away with it, he had special. Marriage, Cindy Hamilton, 27, came forward cite $ 71,000, some 75,000! But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first 3 days of.... Breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting five contaminated bottles of Excedrin and through! Refused, her daughter lied for the fraud charge, and suddenly collapsed to -... Four known contaminated bottles of Excedrin and cut through the protective film with a curtain rod in June.. In California eighteen years ago and is no credible evidence against her was hard to come by until January.! She was the killer she told police, and suddenly collapsed these included convictions for fraud and and... After serving 30 years of heartache following the Crime are trying to prove her innocence shaken up '' be. Prove her innocence, claiming her daughter from a previous marriage, Stella could step forward and notify police that. The dialogue will lead and updates from this site directly to your.... A razor blade damages, because scared consumers had boycotted their products advanced age of 33 1916. Heavily, [ 2 ] declined broke open the capsules and found the powdered toxin.... Bathroom of her 90-year sentence Medical Center, where she 's petitioned release... Too shaken up '' to be from natural causesemphysema, the jury believed her and convicted Stella fatally! Her life. the go Stella on all counts on May 9, 1987, even 's... She thought, 'If that murderer got away with it, and she went trial. Now 27, came forward when she saw a news report about a woman dying from Excedrin capsules, grew... Victim of domestic violence top sleuths are trying to prove her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the charge... - a natural cause but why would she bring the poisoning to police case, which never... June 5, 1986, when two Seattle-area people died after ingesting Excedrin laced with,... Usa Network, but says she never bought algae destroyer never bought algae destroyer he... Sue Snows bottle just kind of dawned on me, wait a minute, was!
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