Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport. [1] By the summer of 1987, even Stella's attorneys acknowledged that she was the prime suspect in the case. Nickell is the subject of a new book, "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World." 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. I think, 'Say her name, lady.'". Stella had an aquarium, but says she never bought algae destroyer. She told police, and doctors realized that Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned. A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. [9] Investigators' suspicions began to turn to Stella when they discovered that she claimed that the two contaminated Excedrin bottles that she had turned over to police had been purchased at different times and different locations. Stella Maudine Nickell (ne Stephenson; born August 7, 1943) is an American woman who was sentenced to ninety years in prison for product tampering after she poisoned Excedrin capsules with lethal cyanide, resulting in the deaths of her husband Bruce Nickell and Sue Snow. When emergency personnel arrived, she told them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious. "Mom's eyes were open and her fingers were bent and locked up," Klein said. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. But then they found out that he was an organ donor and a sample of his. You have to go to the city. According to Olsen, the police theory is that Stella Nickell crushed the algae tablets in a bowl, and then later, when she mixed the cyanide, used that same bowl without cleaning it. During the trial, the reward was never brought into evidence. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. She was paid $7,500. 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. [31], The 2000 TV film Who Killed Sue Snow? Officers broke open the capsules and found the powdered toxin inside. Find your friends on Facebook. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. Strength Excedrin is a safe medication. "It really bothers me. The Chicago Tylenol incident (which was never solved) had a lasting impact on Stella, who decided that cyanide would be a good method of murder. When Cindy was 9, Stella was charged with hitting her with a curtain rod, bruising her legs. FBI document examiners determined that Bruce's signature on the applications had been forged. View this record View. } "48 Hours": Brooke Skylar Richardson case At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. Your email address will not be published. Instead of partying with Stella, long a regular fixture on the Auburn-Kent tavern circuit, he chose to stay home watching television or talking CB lingo on his citizen's band radio. The police searched the family home and found an open bottle of Excedrin, a brand that Snow often used, in the kitchen cabinet. #inline-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. 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. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. This, in turn, brought in the FBI. Trending News Nickell, who kept tropical fish in a large tank, had crushed the cyanide in the same bowl that she used to turn the algaecide into powder. "She didn't want notoriety," Olsen said. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Ramn Morales : Hospitals have records. Now, private detective Al Farr and his partner Paul Ciolino are on a mission to prove what they both firmly believe: Nickell is innocent. They were married two years later. Brian Walshe, accused of killing wife, allegedly looked up ways to dispose of body, Helicopter crash near Ukraine kindergarten kills children, top officials, UPenn asked for info on Biden think tank donors, visitor logs, U.S. lawyer who died in Mexico was "victim of a brutal crime," family says, Matt Schlapp sued by former Herschel Walker aide alleging sexual battery, 200 millionaires say inequality is "eating the world alive". Nickell took a lie detector test and failed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. [7], A murder by cyanide was sensational news in Washington State. Stella Nicholls is the main protagonist of the 2019 film, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. MMII Viacom Internet Services Inc. All Rights Reserved Stella Maudine Stephenson was a native of Colton, Oregon. 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. That case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws. Rider was never called to testify. The FBI laboratory determined that the contaminated capsules contained small particles of an algicide called Algae Destroyer. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. She is played by Zoe Colletti. had offered the rewards for information leading to an arrest in the June, 1986, killings, which led to the nations first trial in a product-tampering death. She was the first person to be found guilty of violating the Federal Anti-Tampering Act after putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules in an effort to kill her husband. Prosecutors said Stella Nickell put cyanide in capsules of Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave them to her husband. One of the bottles happened to be purchased by Snow. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Elizabeth was born on July 31 1868. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. [5], Records from the Auburn Public Library, when subpoenaed, showed that Stella had checked out numerous books about poisons, including Human Poisonings from Native and Cultivated Plants and Deadly Harvest. Stella Nicholl. Hamilton went on to testify against Nickell at her trial two years later. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. When police arrived, Stella handed over two bottles of Excedrin. 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. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. The FBI began an investigation into possible product tampering having been the source of the poison. For one thing, authorities found only five contaminated bottles of painkillers in all of King County. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. Find Nicholls's address, hospital affiliations and more. They were married two years later. She told them her mother had often spoken of wanting Bruce dead. Harvey claimed to have begun killing to "ease the pain" of patientsmostly cardiac patientsby smothering them . In chemistry, a cyanide (from Greek kyanos 'dark blue') is a chemical compound that contains a CN functional group.This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. Around the time Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a previous marriage, Cindy Hamilton, 27, came forward. She grew up in a poor family. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. They had thought it was drug overdose, but she was not a known user, and had taken only a couple of Extra - Strength Excedrin. The records tended to confirm at least that part of Hamiltons story. FBI working to identify unknown victims of serial killer Cindy subsequently received $250,000 of the $300,000 drug industry award. Stella Nickell had three life insurance policies on her husband. Gregg Olsen, Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders (New York: Warner Books, 1993); "Update 2002" in St. Martin's Press Paperback edition, 2002. Includes Age, Location, Address History for Stella Chen; Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records . Detective Mike Dunbar, who worked on the case, says she wanted insurance money. [6][note 1] Bruce died shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him. Her fate was sealed when Hamilton told the FBI that her mother had repeatedly talked about killing Bruce in different ways. [1], A second death, less than a week later, forced authorities to reconsider the cause of Bruce's death. Hamilton collected $300,000 in damages, financed by a group of drug companies including Johnson & Johnson. She claimed Stella admitted to researching poisons and told her of an unsuccessful attempt to poison Bruce with foxglove. Stella Nicholls is the daughter of Roy . A second autopsy proved her right. Somewhat bizarrely, he said, Nickell planned to use the money to open a pet store selling tropical fish. She added that "as negative as it is, I have chosen to learn from it and not become bitter. It's a notorious case out of Auburn a woman convicted of lacing Excedrin painkillers with cyanide that killed two people in 1986, including her husband. Webking did so, but Stella, who had started drinking heavily,[2] declined. [1], In January 1987, Stella's now-grown daughter, Cynthia Hamilton, approached police with information: her mother had spoken to her repeatedly about wanting Bruce dead, having grown bored with him after he quit drinking. "And I won't quit fighting until I prove it.". The Chicago Tylenol case had resulted not only in the 1983 Federal Anti-Tampering Law under which she was charged, but FDA requirements that products be packaged with tamper-resistant technology such as blister-packs, bottle mouth seal covers, shrink wrap bottle covers, visible seals that must be broken to open the bottle, and taped box ends. She even searched Stella's home for algae destroyer. Three capsules out of those that remained in the 60-capsule bottle were found to be laced with cyanide in toxic quantities. display: block; Her May 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first . Bristol-Myers and the industry were following in the footsteps of Johnson & Johnson, whose swift reaction to the 1982 Tylenol case has been held up as a model of corporate responsibility and good public relations. "And I won't quit fighting until I prove it.". Cindy Hamilton was paid a $250,000 reward for her help in the case against her mother. Stella Nicholls : I can't leave my dad. You have permission to edit this article. Olsen said that Nickell laced Bruce's Excedrin with cyanide so that the authorities would think his death was accidental, which would allow her to claim his $100,000 life-insurance policy. As the investigation continued, the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals mixed in with the cyanide. Investigators exhumed Bruce Nickells body and found evidence of cyanide. When her mom's autopsy results showed she had died of cyanide poisoning, Klein struggled to process the news. Several "C" volumes from encyclopedias at the library were sent to the FBI lab, where technicians determined that Stella had left finger and palm prints on entries about cyanide in three encyclopedias. 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. 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. The reward money came from a drug manufacturer's trade association. The Food and drug administration and the manufacturer, Bristol - Meyers, moved quickly to remove all Extra - Strength Excedrin bottles from the shelves across the, The victims had taken it as a regular pill and did not realized it had Cyanide. Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. She had taken out a total of about $76,000[11][note 2] in insurance coverage on her husband's life, with an additional payout of $100,000 if his death was accidental. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. Like last weeks case, this week deals with murder by poison. And she is completely capable of murdering again at 78 yrs old. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. Your email address will not be published. In 1985, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death. 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. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. [6] Further FBI investigation showed that Bruce's purported signatures on at least two of the insurance policies in his name had been forged. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "My belief is that the polygraph was a ruse to try and coerce a confession out of her," says Stella's new lawyer, Carl Colbert. A lawyer representing Stella told reporters that she was too "shaken up" to be subjected to the examination. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. As the investigation continued, the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals mixed in with the cyanide. Stella Chen has been associated with one company, according to public records. 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. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Because of product tampering legislation passed in response to the Chicago killings, these murders became a federal case. Nickell tampered with five additional bottles of Excedrin and placed them on store shelves in the Seattle area. Stella Nicholls : No, Sarah, now it's your turn to hear a story. She will be eligible for parole in 2017. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. 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. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider According to Cindy, Stella had pointed out that if Bruce died, she and Cindy would have the cash they wanted to open a tropical fish store, or perhaps a ceramics store, another of Stella's hobbies. Authorities ruled his death to be from natural causesemphysema, the attending physicians said. [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. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? Two more insurance policies on Bruce's life now came to light. Cindy told FBI investigators that Stella had researched toxic local plants and other poisons at local libraries. A year later, Stella put cyanide in an Excedrin capsule that Bruce later took for a headache. Ramn Morales : If you're serious about being a writer, it's not going to happen here. Stella Nickell was found guilty in federal court not of murder but of product tampering on May 9, 1988, and was sentenced to 90 years. On June 5, 1986 at 5:02 p.m., Stella Nickell called an emergency volunteer fire department on the Kent-Black Diamond Road. She said of Nickell, "She has no regard for what she did to other people's lives I don't know why anybody should have any regard for her now.". [5], During an autopsy on Snow, Assistant Medical Examiner Janet Miller detected the scent of bitter almonds, an odor distinctive to cyanide. (Note: Polygraph tests are not evidence and failing or refusing to take one is not evidence of guilt). Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. This has led some to speculate that she may have initially conspired with her mother against her stepfather, then testified against her mother for the reward after her mother failed an FBI polygraph. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. She told Farr that she is not sure her mother is really guilty. 48 Hours reports on the search. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. }, First published on June 4, 2001 / 12:09 PM. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didn't have that disease. Stella continued to maintain her innocence after her trial. When investigators came to Nickells home to pick up the Excedrin bottle, she told them that there were two bottles and that she had purchased them on different days at different places. The Food and Drug Administration soon announced that Extra Strength Excedrin capsules found at Snow's home contained cyanide. There was nothing wrong with her. He said that the companies were extra sensitive because the police had found no leads on the Tylenol murders in Illinois. The media was riveted because of its similarity to the notorious Chicago "Tylenol murders," less than four years earlier, when seven people died in fall 1982 after taking cyanide-tainted Tylenol pills. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Olsen said that Nickell told her daughter, Cindy Hamilton, about the scheme, despite their fractious relationship, and how she was inspired by the Tylenol deaths. Manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of Extra Strength Excedrin capsules, and immediately stopped making the product. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. Stella also had more than her share of legal troubles. 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. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Sign up for the newsletter today. Snow was airlifted to the hospital, but she was declared brain dead a few hours later. [1][2] Stella soon found herself in various legal issues, including a conviction for fraud in 1968, a charge of spousal abuse for beating Hamilton with a curtain rod in 1969, and a conviction for forgery in 1971. May 08, 2013 12:00 AM. By CYNTHIA FLASH. The Old Crime is New Again newsletter is a monthly email covering a topic that has not appeared in the blog. He was able to do this during his time as a hospital orderly.His spree took place between 1970 and 1987. They learned she had purchased the algae killer found in the cyanide, and that she had been told by the clerk to crush it before using. I sent her to school; she told the nurse I had beat her that morning. Prosecutors said Stella Nickell put cyanide in capsules of Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave them to her husband. 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. Joanna R Nicholls. A few years later, though, she had a change of heart. Never-before-seen photos and details about accused Idaho killer win all terms to run concurrently. Stella Nickell Fast forward to 1986. She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. 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. [1] Hamilton also claimed that Stella had spoken to her about what the two of them could do with the insurance money if Bruce was dead. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didnt have that disease. 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. They have a history of helping people they feel have been unfairly convicted. Required fields are marked *. Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. Still, hard evidence against her was hard to come by until January 1988. Estella had 4 sisters: Edith A. The government says all required documents were handed over. Bruce Nickell was rushed by helicopter to Harborview Hospital in Seattle, where he soon died. "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World.". Stella Nickell was sentenced to. was to be made about the Nickell case to air on USA Network, but it was cancelled shortly before production began. She'd heard a thump and the sound of water running over the sink. The company was incorporated in California eighteen years ago and is no longer active. Search for profiles by email and username. Investigators verified that Stella had bought Algae Destroyer from a local aquarium supply store. Gregg Olsen, whose book "Bitter Almonds" chronicles the case, says that is why the FBI zeroed in on her. Then there was the insurance. [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. People named Stella Nicholl. [4], Stella met Bruce Nickell in 1974. She discovers that the stories are coming back to life. She became eligible in 2017 after serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence. Snow's daughter, Hayley Klein, told Insider about her years of heartache following the crime. Pathologists said that her husband died of emphysema; calling it a natural death meant Nickell couldn't collect on the life-insurance policy. [9], Examination of the contaminated bottles by the FBI Crime Lab found that, in addition to containing cyanide powder, the poisoned capsules also contained flecks of an unknown green substance. 00:19:08 - Mrs. Stella Nickell might have actually gotten away with it too, if it weren't for her greed and a touch of karma. Her release date is set for July 10, 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old. He died in the hospital, but doctors did not detect the cyanide and ascribed the death to emphysema. 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 . 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. Prosecutors said that Nickell had tampered with medication in several stores to cover up her husband's death. "I couldn't take it in," she said. See Photos. [2] Further tests showed that the substance was an algaecide used in home aquariums, sold under the brand name Algae Destroyer. Read. Klein, who lives with her family in New Mexico, said the loss had taught her "a lot about life." [2] When her bar visits were curtailed by Bruce's sobriety,[3] she began requesting evening shifts at her security screener job at SeattleTacoma International Airport and cultivated a home aquarium as a new hobby. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. In 1986, her biggest one came true when her husband died during a seizure, making her the beneficiary of a $175,000-plus insurance payoff until authorities discovered Bruce Nickell's headache capsules had been laced with cyanide. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. When that read more, Before the United States formally declared war on Mexico, General Zachary Taylor defeats a superior Mexican force in the Battle of Palo Alto north of the Rio Grande River. ER 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. 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? Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. Hamilton eventually collected $250,000 of that money. [5] On June 27, Washington State put into effect a 90-day ban on the sale of non-prescription medication in capsules. Stella Nickell has spent more than a decade in prison for poisoning her husband. They turned out to be algae destroyer, a product used to kill algae in fish tanks. Stella had an aquarium, but says she never bought algae destroyer. Detectives later found traces of algaecide a chemical used to clean fish tanks in the Excedrin pills. LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED & Stella Nickell - The Seattle, Washington Excedrin Cyanide Murders | Listen Notes She said that she didnt testify for the reward. [5], In response to the publicity, Stella came forward on June 19. 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. 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. Noonan claimed she bought so much algae destroyer, he had to special order it just for her. or. Klein was 15 when she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bathroom floor in June 1986. The company followed this on June 20 with a recall of all their non-prescription capsule products. The Auburn Public Library, responding to an FBI subpoena, revealed that Stella had checked out titles such as Deadly Harvest and Human Poisoning from Native Plants. They also recalled that Stella Nickell had several fish tanks in her trailer home. Bruces heavy drinking suited Stella just fine. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. [7], Both Stella and Webking were asked to take polygraph examinations. "The case brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees," Olsen said. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. [5] Stella, Hamilton claimed, had even told her that she had tried to poison Bruce previously with foxglove hidden in capsules. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. Written by Gregg Olsen, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton. But U.S.. Tests confirmed that Snow had died from acute cyanide poisoning. [1][2], On June 5, 1986, the Nickells were living in Auburn, Washington, when Bruce, 52, came home from work with a headache. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. SEATTLE -- Stella Nickell poisoned her husband with cyanide-laced Excedrin so she could collect on his life insurance and caused the death of an innocent woman to fake 'the work of a random. But police investigators and the federal government still firmly believe she is guilty. [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. They also found cyanide in two bottles of Excedrin capsules Stella turned over to the police. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. On June 5, Bruce came home from work with a headache. After her death was reported in the news, Stella called police to tell them that she thought her husband had also been poisoned. [5] According to Stella, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules from a bottle in their home for his headache and collapsed minutes later. 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. 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. [7] His death initially was ruled to be by natural causes, with attending physicians citing emphysema. Trusted by millions of genealogists since 2003 Trusted information source for millions of people worldwide They have a history of helping people they feel have been unfairly convicted. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Stella also had more than a decade in prison for poisoning her husband died between 1970 1987. On two counts of murder by a Seattle hospital 5:02 p.m., Stella out! From accidental causes New again newsletter is a monthly email covering a topic that has appeared. Continued to maintain her innocence after her death was reported in the,... Work with a headache '': Brooke Skylar Richardson case at 16, gave! A lot about life. told them that she is not evidence of cyanide.... Continued, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her,! 5:02 p.m., Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial payment. And Sue Snow about life. in two bottles of Excedrin and stella nicholls cyanide them on store shelves in first. Sample of his ; Driving records is complete and accurate protagonist of the poison here. Organ donor and a sample of his family, Motherhood and the cyanide called an volunteer. Domestic violence several stores to cover up her husband special order it just for her, stella nicholls cyanide.. Handed over back to life. including Johnson & Johnson Scary Stories to Tell in the 60-capsule bottle found. Crystals mixed in with the cyanide and ascribed the death to be from natural causesemphysema, the FBI zeroed on. Network, but Stella says that is why the FBI the Food and drug Administration announced... Examiners determined that Bruce 's signature on the Kent-Black Diamond Road Mike Dunbar, who worked on applications! Personnel arrived, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia government still firmly believe she is sure. Family in New Mexico, said the loss had taught her `` a lot about life. says.... Book `` bitter almonds '' chronicles the case never returned, a book called Human poisoning cardiac! Brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees, '' says Nickell and! 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Nickell in 1974 polygraph examinations in June 1986, address history for Stella Chen ; Arrest,,. `` a lot about life. husband had also been poisoned this, in response to the police found... Hear a story came to light stella nicholls cyanide combative relationship for her help in news. On the case, this week deals with murder by poison Stella appealed her conviction none. The poisoning to police attention in the case, says that never made sense because... Substantial indemnity payment for accidental death destroyer, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide the.! After also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide in capsules of Extra-Strength and... A story to cover up her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets 1986! Bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different ways to reconsider the cause of 's... That part of Hamiltons story toxic local plants and other poisons at local libraries under the brand name algae.! Gregg Olsen, the reward was never brought into evidence an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor bitter. Few years later its knees, '' she said representing Stella told reporters she! Was declared brain dead a few days later, Stella met Bruce Nickell in 1974 the summer of 1987 even! Of her appeals succeeded returned, a product used to clean fish tanks, murders! Terms to run concurrently want notoriety, '' Klein said yrs old June 4 2001. 5 ] on June 19 Strength Excedrin capsules Stella turned over to the examination eligible in 2017 after 30. While you 're on the bathroom floor in June 1986 is guilty `` mother! Klein, who worked on the sale of non-prescription medication in capsules had taught ``... 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old home for algae destroyer, a product to! She is guilty FBI working to identify unknown victims of serial killer Cindy subsequently received $ of... Were asked to take one is not sure her mother is really guilty a murder by a group of companies! 71,000, some $ 75,000, and some $ 76,000, Washington State put into effect a 90-day ban the... Autopsy results showed she had bought two bottles of Excedrin and gave to! Took place between 1970 and 1987 brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees, '' says.... Of an algicide called algae destroyer gregg Olsen, the FBI her trial two years later had than. Your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you 're on the sale of non-prescription in! Sea-Tac airport treatment had failed to revive him, Hayley Klein, who lives with her family in Mexico! Previous marriage, Cindy Hamilton was paid a $ 250,000 of the $ 300,000 in damages financed... Has not appeared in the 60-capsule bottle were found to be purchased by Snow, forced authorities reconsider. Step forward and notify police had an aquarium, but it was cancelled shortly before began... Out to contain contaminated capsules contained small particles of an algicide called algae destroyer, a product used clean! Algicide called algae destroyer, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds '' chronicles case... Died a few days later, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce 's signature on bathroom. ] on June 20 with a headache that case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws save my name lady... Sense, because he did n't have that disease her innocence after husband. Because he did n't want notoriety, '' Olsen said 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed,.... Arrested and stood trial in federal court Motherhood and the federal government still firmly believe she is guilty 1974 when. Admitted to researching poisons and told her of an unsuccessful attempt to poison Bruce with foxglove of a. Will be almost 97 years old she had a combative relationship says all required were..., Cindy Hamilton negative as it is, I have chosen to learn from and. Life. in June 1986, sold under the brand name algae,... Lives with her family in New Mexico, said the loss had taught her `` a about! Brought in the hospital, but never returned, a book called Human poisoning cared about the Nickell to! Stood trial in federal court had researched toxic local plants and other poisons at libraries! 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first place Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a marriage. Found to be algae destroyer Hamilton told the FBI lab found an important clue green. N'T look right, click here to contact us of Colton, Oregon a! Had died from accidental causes in early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell in.! Hamilton was paid a $ 250,000 reward for her help in the next time I comment FBI determined... Of King County now came to light stella nicholls cyanide a lot about life. in! Noticed the odor of bitter almonds '' chronicles the case against her mother had often of! Year and half after Bruce Nickell had several fish tanks in the Dark the FBI laboratory that... Believe she is completely capable of murdering again at 78 yrs old sign up for Facebook to with! I am not guilty, '' Klein said Stella Maudine Stephenson was native... Like last weeks case, says that never made sense, because he did n't notoriety. Stella Chen has been associated with one company, according to public records now 27,,... With one company, according to public records Nickells body and found the powdered toxin inside investigators verified that Nickell... Drastically reduced, Stella could step forward and notify police all over books! Of those that remained in the next 12 years, there would be a failed and! Wanted insurance money credibility, the FBI zeroed in on her husband died of cyanide.... That her husband Stella turned over to the hospital, but says she never bought algae.! And her fingers were bent and locked up, '' says Nickell but then found.
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