« Casefile True Crime

Case 93: Susan Snow & Bruce Nickell

2018-08-25 | 🔗
When 40-year-old bank manager Susan Snow collapsed in her shower after complaining of a headache, the cause of her sudden death wasn’t clear. In a bid for answers, an autopsy was conducted, during which the medical examiner notices a distinct smell that immediately alerts her to the possibility that Susan was poisoned. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-93-susan-snow-and-bruce-nickell
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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the the The air episodes serious and often distressing incidents, If you feel at any time you need support. Please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential. The port, placing the shine aids for this episode on your app or on website headaches were semi regular occurrence for Susan Snipe. There, with little surprise or concern for the forty year old Susan was the assistant vice president, a page and sand. A national bank and the manager of the bank's organ branch in Washington State through
work over the years. Susan had become well known and highly regarded within her small, close knit community bank. The minutes were drawn to her warm and charming personality, and often What's the deal with Susan exclusively, Recently, she closed the deal on a five million dollar account with a local trucking firm but her immense success and popularity did little to alleviate the pressure and stress that came with a job on it wasn't unusual for Susan to get a headache. But no one ever bad enough to warrant a sick day. Instead, Susan, would you take a few pills of her preferred brand of over the counter pain, relief, medication, extra strength, Excedrin another dull headache graded Susan, as she woke on the morning of June eleven nineteen. Ninety six at six o'clock. she climbed out of bed and headed straight to the kitchen, to retrieve a bottle of exception from its usual spot in the cabin and above the sink.
The bottle was already open and its leader was missing. Naming today It painkillers. So often Susan. To the habit of discarding the bothersome safety caps. Saving her I'm having to wrestle with them constantly there still plenty of the Red Gelatin show capture was inside out. After Add a couple into her hand. Susan swallowed them then returned to the bottle back to the cabinet. Extra strength. Excedrin boasted of relief from headaches within fifteen minutes Fifteen year old, highly snow, greeted her mother with a hug. It was just that all of them at the time, Susan's husband, forty five years Poor working with king was a long haul, trucker left for work Leah that morning Susan's, eldest daughter, twenty Three year old XO spent the night before out on the town and had yet to come home shortly before six. Thirty am Susan
down the whole way, leading to the master bedroom to get ready for work on the way she gave highly a quick, kiss and told her she loved her highly went to take a shower before school, whilst in. bathroom. She could hear the muffled sound of running water through the walls. It was from the master bedroom. John swayed, where her mother was completing her morning retain during her shallow highly startled by a loud thump, as though, something heavy dropped somewhere in the house. Worried, her mother might have been the source of the noise. Perhaps she tripped fallen after waiting. Listen and hearing nothing else. Haley dismissed her concern. Convinced was just being over dramatic after her shell highly stood for the mirror to apply makeup Jim was once again drawn to the faint sound of running water family.
With her mother's morning, routine highly new Susan should have been out of the UN's swayed by now. Yet the water from the on sweet continue to flow uninterrupted for an unusually long time, sensing something wasn't right. Haley went to check on her mother, The parents' bedroom was empty, the sand the flowing water continued from behind the and swayed door. Hey, we couldn't her mother, moving about in there and calling out was met with no response, so she looked inside the vanity sink, was near overflowing as the tap above flooded with water on the floor at its base with Susan in her Purple Basra Susan was on her back the head resting awkwardly on the door frame of the shell as for what I've been fixed and dilated aboard
was pile and unnaturally stiff. A affrightened expression was frozen across his face Highly had never seen her mother in such a state. She, in an attempt to rouse her, but soon didn't react, at six. Forty three, I am an emergency call, came through the normal one highly, I struggled to get the words out, I think Mama. fell while I was in the shower she's breathing in everything is something wrong with her when asked by the dispatcher. If her mother could talk highly responded, I don't know It's like she's, sleeping with her eyes, open. By seven. Am paramedics had arrived to the house. Susan state PETE consistent with a head injury, It was a shame. She slipped was getting into the shower highly quickly. Dismiss this explanation.
clarifying that her mother only took showers in the evening. Furthermore, it didn't have any noticeable wounds. Fractures, bumps or bruises located by the vanity sink with Susan's curling. I used to stall her air, yet the possibility Susan was electrocuted, didn't seem likely There were no visible burned marks on her body and the power in the bar. Stream was still on. suffered an electric shock powerful enough to render her unconscious at Saint probable. The pale would have shorted and shut down. Autos of medication was shaken to determine if Susan Overdosed but We're reasonably full questions. raised about Susan's mental health were quickly clarified by highly who insisted The mother was neither depressed nor suicidal when the world
Recreational drugs were mentioned. Highly responded defensively, my mother's, not a druggie, highly informed the medics that her mother workshop with one of her usual headaches and took some pain relief medication, for she would the bottle of extra strength Excedrin from the kitchen. kill pill bottle, looked to be missing on a few capsules doubting, suspicion. Susan took an excessive amount, they didn't seem likely. She was having a reaction to the exact Renee, though there was had preferred brain. She had taken it many times before without issue. Susan's. Breathing pattern was abnormal every few minute. She would give a livid ineffective gas for air as though she was suffocating bag. Mask was Whilst I recognise in mouth and squeezed to facilitate breathing, but it didn't relieve her condition. More desperate measures were applaud.
if cheap, was put down Susan's trickier to serve as an airway, but that didn't help either. Struggling to breathe and pulse fighting Susan Was flying by helicopter thirty miles north to Harborview medical center? In the city of Seattle, Pride A collapse. Susan was in good health with no praying listing. Onus is or conditions that would render her unconscious. Doctors can, You don't have had axing decayed Syria, some diagnosed health problem, perhaps a tuna stroke or aneurysm, but it was hard to tell. Collectively. Her symptoms didn't line up perfectly with any suggested diagnosis. Doctors were baffled, finding it difficult to trade, her making matters worse Was the she spade. Susan was deteriorating.
News of Susan's hospitalization reached her fear. My husband pool, eldest daughter, Acta and Ex husband Connie Snow. Whom she maintained. A friendly relationship arrived to the hospital from what I understood. Susan fell or fainted. Knowing she was otherwise healthy, their concerns were recently brushed off, but a riding one by one age, was shocked to discover just here, Dyer Susan's condition really was. She was in a coma and on life support doctors pronounced her brain dead
and concluded, there was absolutely no hope for her to recover. By midday. Susan snow had died. The loss of one's tween is a profound grief said to be, unlike any other. Sarah would attest to that. after receiving the cold that her identical, twin Susan was in a coma. She was to the airport, for from her home in Denver Colorado to Seattle Tom Sarah arrived Susan had already passed.
Sarah was born fifteen minutes before Susan one April, thirty, nineteen, forty six from that diamond woods. The twins were inseparable. Throughout their lives, the pair always remained close, despite being polar opposites, was the logical and careful twin chief her head Susan, on the other hand, followed her heart. She was the adventurous spontaneous risk tiger by age. Sixteen Susan was pray in preparation for motherhood, she dropped out of high school married, her baby's father into moved into we spawn house. She gave birth on June 13th, one thousand nine hundred and sixty three to a girl Susan, took well to being a mother and doted on her baby girl. But she longed to do more with a laugh and settling straining their marriage and living a simple quiet farm life.
Brother in law was a man named Connie. Connie was eleven years, Susan singer, an oilfield workout Benny's career in and around the Texas Panhandle. nineteen year old Susan found herself drawn to the older man and issue. I did Susan followed her She divorced her husband and begin a relationship with Connie. Wanting Susan to rushing to yet another marriage. Her parents told her to wait a year first after that if she still loved Connie and one at the wedding, then that would not stand in the way. This was a big ask for the impulsive susan, but both Connie respected her parents request Susan Love for Connie strengthened over the following year and on the final dive hope Parents deadline: twenty years What Susan and four year old XO went to live with him.
They settled in a mobile home park. In some now the small town close the woman were Conny worked at the time. The couple married the following me. In nineteen sixty nine Susan started work at Puget, sound national bank as a teller colleagues believed. She was too smart to stay behind the teller's window and she proved them wrong hastily climbing the corporate ladder she spent timing. read it and moved on to her laced, enjoyable wrong in rate decisions, stealing property from the community for the bank didn't sit well with kind hearted, sir. On April, twenty four nineteen, seventy one Susan encoding, had a daughter, highly. The economy is relationship with Susan was truly wetted place. She did him like a king and he felt on top of the world with her. Yet
dozens feelings for Coney wind over the years as they got out. He slowed down becoming a homebody who would fall asleep on the couch after work, Susan, on the other hand, was in the prime of her life. She was outgoing, clever and popular making leaps and bounds through a successful career with the bank. She outgrew Connie and. Reach fell apart. Susan then moved with her daughters to New Mexico to look after her railing father Duration was hard for Connie. He felt. Love anyone else as much as he loves Susan around a year and a half after they split he sent home. Need to return to Washington in hopes that would rekindle their relationship. Shoes did returned to the state and the pair remained closed. Seventy ease mainly for the children, but they never officially got back together. Eventually, they fought for divorce.
Susan settled without girls in an apartment in nearby pew all up, and it was there was introduced to pull web king. he met Susan Snow Pool had been married and divorced three times He was a Roma, he switched times. Internships and jobs constantly he dug ditches worked My services did bar work and so I became a long haul trucker the he met. Susan pool took her out to get pizza, not long after that they became a couple. Others weren't fully convinced that the pairing Susan herself was a successful career woman who typically dated doctors and lawyers, it was a sharp blue collar top who was unapologetically apathetic He often aired his annoyance at the human race which he considered, lazy and selfish
although Susan was seen as pools opposite with an optimistic and outgoing nature. This attitude actually settled well with her in a way Pulls indifference and cynicism allowed her to finally relax Susan. Used up a lot of energy, maintaining her cheerful facade. to say no to demanding requests with laid back pool. She could just be herself and be honest. It was therapeutic. to come home from work and went to her husband pulled, domestic role in the relationship is Susan focused more on her career He got along well enough with Susan's youngest daughter highly, who aimed to the the data stored erects. I was more free, spirited and independent you didn't respond well to strict parenting. At times she bought in heads with both pool and her mother. So
in strictness, manifested from her own experiences. She didn't her daughters to take the same line path, the shaded and become young mothers, chink urged them to find their full potential to study success. 6S. followed her mother's advice. After graduating law school. She moved into state to attend university and studied tax law had had an added bonus. For everyone. exit, move aced attention in the household and gave her the full autonomy she desired. Throughout her life and all her ups and downs, Susan always sought advice from her twin Sarah even though the sisters had gone their supper wise. They spoke on the phone almost daily. And visited each other. Whenever they could. They tried stories sacred and advice there. and was near unbreakable into that
we're each other's pillars of support. What exactly caused Susan Snow, sudden death remained a medical mystery seeking family agreed for the medical examiner's office to conduct an autopsy. Assistant, medical examiner thinking, county doktor. Corinne flick now led the procedure assisted by pathologist, JANET Miller,. As an incision was made to open the chest. Cavity JANET Miller detected a distinct odor emanate from Susan's body used. A colleague of Miller's committed suicide by ingesting cyanide a highly toxic cell and rapidly acting poison. So I know it stop cells of the body from absorbing oxygen, giving the sensation of suffocation, fatal, to these resulting cardiac arrest, depending on the dosage, so
No, I can take hours or just minutes to kill. Janet Miller was aware, so I know it was often described as having a smell like a bitter Armand. She Is the unique sent faint as it was during Susan Snows, autopsy Miller, informed Doc afflict nor of the Oda and its implication. However, footnote failed to detect the ita herself. Furthermore, Susan's flesh was wearing white pile victims. If so annoyed poisoning tend to have unnaturally pink to brought red skin time certain of herself Miller didn't pushed the matter later, a doctor entered the room asking if anything turned up explaining Susan's death. The fleet no was under the impression Susan died from natural causes. Specifically, cardiac arrhythmia
an irregular heartbeat that in serious cases, can result in stroke or heart failure, but doktor flag, necessary than JANET Miller was unable to shake the scent of almonds lingering in the air. She spoke up about its presence once more, but still no one else could smell. Prompted by Miller's assertions, a sample of Sea in blood was sent to the lab to receive a specific Cox, ecology assessment, one routinely performed in standard autopsies, Susan's blood was mixed with an acid solution that separated blood from any possible saw. No I'd molecules after this especial ray if paper was soon in a true with the blood and acid solution. Mixture as the tube is hated. The reactive paper inside turned blue. The blue coloring indicated Miller's instincts were correct
There was so I know at present in Susan's bloodstream additional tests, viewed Susan consumed a fatal, a man of cyanide demand, poisoning The bloodstream would have taken affect approximately ten minutes after ingestion in on site do symptoms. perfectly with those associated with cyanide poisoning Susan, Experienced the rapid onset of dizziness waiting to her collapse with the breathe and eventually fell into a coma all of this occurring within a short time frame Susan skin was not unnaturally pink or brought red, but this characteristic was not present in all cases,. Examiners knew how lucky they were. The ability the smell, so I know it is genetic in twenty and forty percent of the population. Don't carry the Jane required to detect the odor, so I not to those people
and has now odor at all. This was case during Susan Snows, autopsy, no one, except for pathologist, JANET Miller, picked up the almond lock. Out of this ass, as she was the only one with the genetic ability to do so at MILAN. Being present during seasons. Nice autopsy, the cyanide that killed her, would have gone on detected. Cyanide toxic is considered to be a reform of poisoning in most cases that occurs from smoking elation during house or industrial fires. But this clearly wasn't the case in Susan Snow his death, solenoid is used in the metal trades mourning jewelry manufacturing, photography, agriculture and pest control. None of which were relevant activities or interests to Susan
Is also present in certain free sites and stones that the average would need to consume anywhere from hundreds to thousands of them to be at risk of cyanide poisoning. With that in mind, it seemed highly unlikely Susan accidentally poisoned herself. Examiners wondered if Susan intentionally poisoned herself, so side by side, new ideas, very uncommon and typically involves hills. Care on the bar tree workers, persons who have access to so I know it sounds Susan, Behavior prior was not a lock someone, anticipating, nay death. The morning she collapsed Susan begin preparing herself for work. It was clear she intended to go into the office that day The medical examiner's office contacted Susan family to report on the results of her or topsy the cause of death was listed as a cute, so I know I'd poisoning at the say,
time. The medical examiner's office contacted urban police. Hundreds of eleven residents attended the memorial service held for Susan Snow during the service. A longtime friend of Susan's are cooled with admiration, her frankness and sense of humor. The song written by countries now called Darling Sue was played along with music by the banned the jobs, Susan's favorite musicians. A pervasive feeling lingered over the event different from they expect a grave and saw the with suspicion. Susan's family were aware she had been poisoned. Not only were they having to come to terms with her death, but also her murder. like a twin Sarah roles, I suffered from semi frequent headaches, Susan's death
shooting a grave induced headache. Sarah couldn't shake having It had Susan often she knew her sister kept painkillers in a kitchen covered about the sink, Sarah found the open bottle of extra strength Excedrin in there She was immediately suspect. she wasn't the missing late. She was her sister through those away for rays of access? Who was the capsules in. Sera knew her twin better than anybody. Susan never took capsules. She preferred tablets. It was a preference, the sisters shared ever since The Chicago tall in all, noticed for easily where seven people died off the consuming, so annoyed waste pain, relief, capsules. The sisters had developed the mistrust of catches. capsules consist of a medicinal powder or jelly encased in a dissolvable gelatin show as in
case of the Chicago notice they show It can be easily opened and tampered with tablets. the other hand a compressed medicinal pattering, a solid form, far harder to interfere with. As such Susan and Sarah only ever took tablets. Sarah raised the point with her brother in law, Susan's, husband, Paul Webb King, according to Paul, Susan purchased, the capture variety of ex headroom by mistake. To realize she preferred that neither tablets, as there were easier to swallow. the sense of uneasiness, compelled Sarah not to take any of the eccentric capitals that day. Instead, she put the bottle. On the committee, I shot planning it behind some space jars. Detective Mark Dunbar and his partner arrived to the snow king residents in the light morning of June, sixteen he would have arrived
sooner but Susan, It's nice family, were it not in view cemetery have a saying her burial. The house was full of people all friends and family of Susan's. The detective called the atmosphere within was bizarre. It seemed like a party even pages were being awarded. the detectives met, Susan's husband, Paul Webb king. He permitted. To search the home in an attempt to find the source of the Sinai that killed his wife we Susan Pool and highly lived in the house at the time, seasons, death and today were occasionally visited, bus, Susan's, eldest daughter exile, who happened to be in town at the time. The If spoke with Susan's family to determine her actions, behaviour and state of mind, leading up to the fateful morning there, not the forces in death on gene ten poor, cooked up above a good dinner for the family and afterwards they climbed into the hot tub to relax
The mood was pleasant and there were no disturbances. This was confirmed by Axa. You briefly visited the house that not to collect some belongings She didn't sense any animosity and said her mother was her same old self. The morning off pool left for work before and got up he drive We fought miles north from more to Safeway Distribution Center in Bellevue, where again. Lighting up his truck varies next, all during the morning word race, im of Susan's hospitalization, Susan was otherwise in good health, but was over And I have stressed he regime She suffered an anxiety attack or something similar, harmless and recoverable. He hitched a ride to the hospital with his boss If Paul harbored any worry about his wife, he hid it well.
the trip was allegedly in the conversation between the pad lot. Audit in poor finally arrived to the emergency department highly. It has that fathers demeanor was casual. It wasn't it. doctors, informed him a Susan's, critical condition when Paul appeared, rattled the color drained from his face when asked about his marriage with Susan insisted that we're getting along well and had now give since September timber nineteen. Eighty five he recalled date? Specifically as it was the moment, he confessed he's infidelity, whilst the on a work trip who had an affair with an Ex girlfriend named Mary all maintained that ought to sing a councillor pain. Susan were back on track, so much so in the following months. They surprised everyone by announcing their engagement, Dykstra Chevelle's on Thanksgiving Day, one thousand nine hundred and ninety five
around seven months before Susan's death we know Paul insisted hand. Susan were better off. Others saw things differently. Susan was alighted about her marriage to pull, but he's affair with Area was all she talked about children her daughters about it, then you should get the photographer marrying in a kitchen drawer. Hey. We remembered her mother, showing it to her once and sighing. Look at this bitch. Susan also wanted to find Marian have it out a notebook. This is in fact you the message, you scroll, the Red thought poor I'd marry. I hate pole. Highly revealed her mother instead, Father were prior to hated arguments during one pull through a phone in anger Susan ones contemplated tossing pause, belongings on the front lawn and throwing him out of the house, but never went through with it.
As she always did, Susan confided in her sister, She admitted wanting to high Paul, but couldn't the thought of life im devastated her. She still loved him. Didn't want to leave him. Sarah. pull a master manipulator who had full control over her sister. With information gathered so far that wasn't a stir. The for detective Dunbar to look at poor web king with great suspicion in his opinion polls. Personality lacked positive traits and he spoke of his dead wife with little emotion. He peered up taught nervous and even made crude jokes, making others uncomfortable. Given this Cohesion, the only time he showed emotion was when his face turned red with anger. After realizing he was being viewed as a suspect in Susan's death
The detective wasn't the only one who drew issue with the man. Paul wasn't popular. those who knew him considered him a possessive and jealous talk who seemed bothered his wife earned more than him. Others knighted pool had a tendency to follow up these emotions and imploding anger when it all became too much, then It was easy behavior in the days following Susan's death, pulsing perfectly fine and unfazed. He walked around in hawaiian shirts and shorts is though, on holiday. Looking Having is anything but a grieving husband. The detectives found out the household garbage was on the curb and collected the day, Susan God ideal timing for anyone wanting to dispose of evidence. Nevertheless, they took from the house anything that might contain sign on including chemicals
And incest, the sides of particular interest was the open bottle of extra strength. Excedrin in the kitchen cabinet timing was Kill us lined up as a peaceable murder, weapon and detective knew from past experiences. The capsules could be used to kill. analysis of the eccentric bottle was completed by eight o clock that none of the sixty go bottle. Fifty six remained. None of those capsules were found to contain four times than levelled those of cyanide. The capsules, as well as the bottle, were tested for fingerprints. None were found on the capsules themselves, but there was a clear one on the bottle: the belong to Sarah Susan system. This wasn't surprising, as you already admitted, defining the bottle in the cupboard handling. It then hard.
Get up on a top shelf. The test results confirmed what was widely suspected, not just for examiners investigators, but for pool web king apparent The Excedrin already raised his suspicions. During Susan's autopsy, the medical examiner office found Paul. They discussed possible causes of death, the pool rejected all. He then asked doktor figure if Susan could have died of capture poisoning. The question baffled footnote, there was an unusually specific suggestions. She hadn't and probably would never have conceded pull explained. A freshly open bottle of capsules was found in the kitchen and it was known. Susan took some prior to her death flag dismissed the suggestion at the time stating it was far fetched.
With the revelation Susan had in fact been poisoned by the eccentric catches pool, was proven wrought when poor. Was informed the poison to catch us? He was not surprised stating It was exactly as he suspected detective zone incredible story about the Excedrin in the days four seasons, death was to relieve his arthritis. what was near empty and he mentioned it to Susan who added them. listen to her shopping list. During the following days: and purchase the new bottle of accession on the morning of her death before he left for work. Pull went to the kitchen covered
The new bottle was in there and the cap already missing. He took two capsules and headed off a short time later. Susan took pills from the same bottle, resulting in her death. No one saw Paul, take the capsules, but there were enough missing from the bottle to employ he had taken so so where the pool was the luckiest person alive and some a voice, the poison ones, or he knew the capsules were tainted. detectives considered the possibility, pull removed a couple and trust them to bolster he story lighter as investigation shifted to one involving a homicide police through. and was looking for all possible suspects. This included an angry bank customer Susan turned in very desolate some six months before her death.
Then there were the circumstances surrounding a note left for Susan at work years ago that read to the horror of Puget, Sound bank. The author was never identified. Active Dunbar questioned all of her previous admirers partners and lovers, But all the Asians ended amicably long ago no potential suspects caught the attention of detective Dunbar, quite like poor web king. He was convinced the men killed his wife. Tensions within Susan's family rose boiled by the suspicion. Someone amongst them was her killer. Susan was the glue that held her family together with her gone, the family split in two on one side stood pool web king and on the other. Everyone else detective searched, pulls work truck but failed to find anything of night. After this,
pull admitted to both Sarah and his brother. Then he kept etc in the truck. But police didn't find it. He retrieved the Mets and Sarah recalled the bottle was gone. He just had the capsules, Obviously, sensing their suspicions pull often for the others to take the pills to the police if they felt they were important, but neither took him up on the offer, giving pull the benefit of the doubt afterwards pool hurried into the bathroom locked, the door and Sarah heard the toilet. Flash thinking pool just disposed of evidence. She called the authorities to report when police question Paul about it. He denied flashing the pills down the toilet
instead he admitted he ground them up in the garbage disposal. When asked why Paul answered, he knew possessing the same top of the pill that killed his wife made me out to look guilty, so he destroyed them, although he strongly denied any involvement in Susan's death Paul strange day. hence in behavior, where the save the signs of a guilty men at one stage he trotted. To pay the suspicion on him by spreading it. Amongst others, he warned he's teenage that don't I highly to get ready being the only one home at the time of Susan's death. She was a prime suspect. Highly wasn't the only step daughter to feel the hate so was in town at the time, but opted to stay at the pony soldier with a friend George Sanchez did not before Susan's death
Excess said she went to Seattle City with Sanchez, and I returned to the hotel in the early hours the following morning x or attempted the contact her mother at the bank. Has the pair had made plans to make up for launch the blood? Then Susan was already in a coma, There was no sacred and Susan clashed in the past. Susan worried about Acta and one on her daughter to exercise better judgment, excess friendship with. George changes was one example. Susan talk issue, its answers. He was in the midst of a drug treatment programme and acts are barely knew. The guy. Extra like everyone else in Susan's, immediate circle, supply police with a statement the when asked it, into to the station. For a second interview, she arrived with an attorney After waiting around for just a minute, she abruptly left and never took part in the interview.
Detectives understood. Every member Susan's family had opportunity. O had access to The house in the days leading up to the motor and none would rise suspicion rummaging around the kitchen to plant the poison to drugs. Motive was less clear cut, but only one stood the profit from Susan's death at the time. Her death Susan had a twenty thousand dollar life insurance policy and her very basic will left everything to pool pull maintained. He was going to use the money to pay off some credit card bills and the rest would go to Susan's daughters get highly index. Her didn't receive at dawn when they confronted him about it. Paul said money, was taught. The girls also noticed several pieces of seasons. Jury had disappeared. Meanwhile poor changed before them
He swapped hawaiian shirts, for more professional, expensive clothing and even purchased a new car. Then he started seeing another woman. News of the cyanide laced capsules was relayed to Bristol Myers. The manufacturers of Excedrin. Internal discussions revolved around the similarities between Susan Snow's death and the Chicago Tylenol murders brought down to the He's of cyanide in capitals raising concerns of a potential copycat police, we're confident. Susan murder was an isolated incident committed by someone she knew, but not wanting to take any risks. Bristol Myers released a heavily publicized nationwide, recall of all their extra strength, Excedrin products, a decision, costing. The company millions
Rico became sensational news. Trusting It's nice motor into the public eye pharmacies and supermarkets were busier than usual as nervous customers returned previously purchased, Excedrin and stuff quickly pulled the product from store shelves investigators assisted in the call collect. the massive man of product and sending it away attesting. Yet certain Susan Snow was not a victim of a pharmaceutical terrorist, but then, on June nineteen police received a call the female cooler was frantic, hysterical and near intelligible as publicity surrounding Susan's, nice death. He had headlines and prompt times the woman call acclaimed too noticed strong similarities between the bank managers, death and the death of her husband awake earlier.
It was six days before Susan's death, Jean five nineteen. Eighty six, fifty two year out Bruce Nickel, spend a diet. Where he lay, but as a heavy equipment operator for the State Department of Transportation by the Tommy Clock clocked out home and walked through the front door. It was for ten pay and he greeted his wife. Forty three year olds. seller, who is in the midst of preparing dinner, Bruce complained of a headache. and he told and strained old, dire Randal add machinery. It was unusual for him to feel rough by the end of it. He having a shower with clear his head. When that didn't work, he decided to take painkillers Bruce, took extra strength Excedrin exclusively for his aches and pains. Two capsules was the recommended dosage.
Bruce theorized, the men would work quicker and they more effective if he doubled that. So he took full only had to do now was white Bruce wandered out into the back patio, where he took in the fresh air and peaceful surrounds of his five acre countryside property older. All they, Galicia waiting for the capsules content to kick in minutes later still need was startled by her husband calling out for her. She feared Bruce leaning in the frame of the petty I door, blot, headed and feeling is that he was about to Faint Stella, guided him towards the nearby catch. Bruce Wayne the price himself. But as he went to see it, his legs buckled and he crumpled to the floor. At five o two
pay em, an emergency call came through to no one one Stella nickel attempted to explain what was happening. My husband's gone into some kind of fit his breathing in my heart his eyes around back. He told, He was going to pass out tried to get him on the couch and he hit the floor. When the dispatcher ass. If her husband was conscious, stellar applaud, I don't think so. He's breathing has slowed down, paramedics rushed to the scene. They found Bruce, living room, floor, unresponsive to stimuli, twenty seconds. Also heed gospel, goodly forever. It was Ursus skin time that perplexed first responders, his body was ghostly pile except that his head, which was brought red,
having never seen such a symptom exhibited before the paramedics said, no idea what it signified, as they are did to resuscitate Bruce Stella rattled off her husband's medical history. Bruce was a recovering alcoholic and a chain smoker, but with that considered, he was in relatively good health he wasn't prone to anxiety, attacks, fainting or sages. Every a woman. He get em out headache, including the one he had that afternoon. Ella retrieved the bottle of exception from the kitchen. The medics were, quick to inspect and discount the pills as the cause of Bruce's critical state. It was just an over the cannot product one, the bird to regularly with at issue there was little time to consider the possible causes of these collapse. Bruce's blood pressure was plummeting.
an attempt to stabilize him were filing a helicopter ran lifted, Bruce to have a view. Medical center by midnight purse nickel had died. From New York Times best selling author Danielle Steel comes a new novel about five ambitious women, navigating high powered careers and fulfilling lifelong dreams, but success always comes at a price. Can these five hold true? their principles and still keep their jobs. They're playing a dangerous game and the stakes couldn't be higher I stakes by Danielle Steel available wherever books are sold. In June. Nineteen. Thirty, four, after fourteen emotional years of trying to conceive Walter and Ruth Nichols. Visited to Seattle Maternity home. They left with their newly adopted son away called baby. They named Bruce Walter and Ruth, were finally pair,
since it didn't matter to them how Bruce came into their world. He was very much their son. When Bruce was sixteen years old, he either heard his father talking about his adoption. The lighting came as a shock, although Bruce loved his adoptive parents and appreciated the lofty afforded him. He felt resentment towards his biological mother for giving him up in the first place, These feelings manifested into abandonment issues that impacted his future relationships, resulting in three failed marriages. In helping nummies sorrows, Bruce became believe reliant on alcohol and soon developed an addiction that lead to many missteps throughout his life boys. Light forties Bruce was a bar fly, who'd hot from bought a bar drinking long into the night until he passed out, always kick their, which ever came that, though we could be reality and stubborn
Bruce? Is rough edges was gentleness, you know and intelligence available for anyone willing to look. One afternoon during the early seventies, Bruce entered a tavern in Kent, not far from where he was living at the time. his attention was immediately drawn to a woman sitting at the bar, a dark haired, elegant beauty, he'd, never seen in town before. Stella didn't seem that top of woman he'd be drawn to a blue color rough round. The edges kind of guy Lot Bruce Nickel, yet lot Bruce Stella carried her own scars, both emotional and physical. Stella held very few memories of her childhood in Oregon by the tone. She was born in nineteen. Forty three, her working class family had spot. into abuse and neglect helmed by a violent and alcoholic patriarch. stories had since been passed on to her by older siblings, include
the one where their father chased them out of the house was firing shotgun. No one was hit by the event, The catalyst for her mother to leave, taking the Dron and re settling in Colorado, then there were the two her reflect far accidents. The first resulted in Stella requiring skin grafts. The second caused the death of her baby brother. At age, fifteen Stella felt pregnant confined in others that it was the outcome of a right on October, twenty three nineteen, fifty nine she gave birth to the child a girl. She named Cynthia another pregnancy. At age idea, which ended in stock giving the newborn up for adoption. Her life was one spent transitioning between relationships, homes and jobs, by the time she reached, cant Stella was living out of her car. Through it,
He is still surrounded herself in a tough emotional show. Those outside of it Stella to be called distant and incredibly hard to get to know, but to those who bark through such as Bruce Nickel, they found a warmth, humor and passion. The first meeting left little impression on Stella Awake Lighthouse: ran into Bruce on the straight so the man in a different light, his rough edges softened and she found him to be intelligent, and here she later remarked to a friend that she was going to marry him. Versus endless capacity for heavy drinking, didn't initially dissuade Stella. She embraced it. There means blossomed, in where long knots and early mornings were spent playing, pool and drinking, and every weekend was a wild party. The relationship was not without problems. They were complicated periods of being often on again, but the pair would soon reconcile
they married in September nineteen. Seventy six and events Billy settled down in a mobile home on the rural costs, Beauvais stolen. Eight nineteen: seventy seven restraining under financial pressures, including is two hundred and fifty dollar awake drinking habit. despite enjoying the liberating fun of their alcohol fuelled weekends, still at pushed Bruce to cut back on alcohol or, at the very least, drink at home, where it would be safer and cheaper, but Bruce struggled. The change is wise. In nineteen, seventeen on he went on a two way: Benda skipping work and rarely going home. When Stella confronted him at the bar, it was like a switch flipped timbers his mind in a snap decision. He signed up as an impatient for a program for alcoholics over the phone
Going ten days burst, participated in cancelling and aversion therapy on the tenth day he walked out of the programme and from TAT Day on Bruce Nickel, never drink alcohol again. Bruce Nicholls autopsy report Rooney's cause of death is hawk attention due to Korea, respiratory collapse, a concept Pulmonary Emphysema Bruce, was beautiful cigarettes maker, so death arising from an Associated lung disease, wasn't an absurd finding. It still Nicole had a hard time accepting her husband was healthy only recently Bruce pass the physical examination, doctors, Bruce, was at risk of developing emphysema in the future, but didn't display drawings of it. Yet infusion. At his autopsy report question
if the lung disease could have such a rapid and fatal one set. Nevertheless, from a medical standpoint, the case was closed and Bruce nickel was light to rest that Sullivan symmetry. One week later, Susan snows Modem made national needs. Shortly after six p m on June, seventeen police officer, Edward Sexton, turn these vehicle into a crushed gravel draw by of like Money Smith, road in orbit ceased. He came to a stop at the front of the nickel was mobile home, so a nickel appeared at the screen door. The recent widow looked worse for wear since her husband's death Stella hit the bottle hard. Friends worried she was drinking herself to death. Doctors prescribed her I am to settle, however, warming emotional grave, her home It's since become a mess even
striking and colorful tropical fish aquariums, which Stella once maintained with pride, was showing signs of neglect. The work is the concourse security supervisor at the Seattle, Tacoma International Airport overseeing the x ray machines. The check to travel is bags pride of flood. She and her ladyship position. Based on the seriousness in which she took her work. Stella was direct with travellers. We engaged in small talk and reprimanded colleagues incompetence, but ever since Bruce's death that spent work out on the town she'd wondering work the following morning in yesterday's climates and make up rating of liquor. Laura poligized to Officer Redwood Sexton for her frantic phone to police oleo. She explained her reasoning for it. The circumstances surrounding her husband's death, the subsequent autopsy funding
and similarities she drawn between Bruce's death and the murder of Susan Snow. officer Sexton, to say the Excedrin Bruce took prior to his collapse, model was near empty, only eight capture was remained, Stellar also handed the officer, a second bottle of extra strength, Excedrin still in its box packaging. She bought that one recently to replace the first bottle once it at Rainier the two bottles were purchased about two weeks. Apart unable recall the exact details, still a believed she bought. The a spot or somewhere in open in one of two store? She frequented the rabbit since North or Johnny's market Being the more recent purchase, she had a clear a memory of buying the second bottle from Johnny's market in Kent. The bottles were sent for testing.
In the meantime, officer, redwood sexting contacted Harbour view medical center and inquired if burst, nickel was tested for saw annoyed poisoning. The answer was now at the time. Doctors didn't have reason to suspect the main was poisoned. Bruce's remains had seen Spain buried, however, Sexton discovered a tube of Bruce's blood taken during his autopsy was still stored at the King County Medical Examiner's office. It was quickly put through the same talks, ecology assessment that found the sunlight in Susan snows bloodstream. The reactive paper turned Blue, Bruce nickel. Also died from cyanide poisoning lab tests on a two accession bottles taken from the nickel home wherein of the first forty go bottle Only eight remained two of those
actuals were found to contain cyanide The second unopened forty go bottle only had thirty. Five. captures inside for contain, Solenoid no fingerprints, were found So another user in the snow and nickel notice were compared. There was determined to have come from the same source. Bruce Nikkolon Susan Snow were completely unknown to one another. no way the two could be connected other than I've been residents of Odin NEWS, The second poisoned victim hit airwaves sweeping arrow through the small, otherwise peaceful community authorities. but once again forced to shift the focus of their investigation based on twenty one. Having a potential mass murderer, So far, two victims were known: But authorities worried there could be more, he had to be identified.
Goal of except Rembrandt products continued and for Bristol Mise the damage was a measurable. Both pull wept and still unequal, followed wrongful death suit against the company pool front of the media, demanding opined pain. Medication in capsule form be banned. He also Spress, anger in the way Bruce Nicholls, death and autopsy were handled. Believing if examined correctly Susan, might still be alive. He Frustration is still being considered a suspect in his wife's motor to pool in there to guide us we're wasting time looking into him when they Finding the real killer crossing Lee The funded boys trio of Ex was Danes said he wasn't the talk to murder, he was just divorced them. pulls eventual participation in a polygraph test that put an end to it. All the tests looted pool was not being deceptive and investing
I was satisfied. He didn't kill his wife, whatever people thought of the man personally didn't matter for web king was officially cleared as a suspect. In total, fifteen thousand bottles of exception, but collected and put through an x ray machine campaign, The medicinal powder in the capsules, solenoid powder was more dense, therefore The Sinai device pills would appear darker in x, ray imagery. fifteen thousand bottles examined One more was found to contain so annoyed list catches the sixty Oh bottle, only had fifty six capitals for contained cyanide A region I did from Johnny's marketing can't the same sex Stella nickel purchased one of her tampered bottles, investigators narrowed in on the store questioning stuff about disgruntled former employees,
or customers. Saint behaving suspiciously may more. Bristol as manufacturing plants, were thoroughly examined. No evidence found indicating the solenoid was added to the capsules during assembly. Additionally, tampered so far only surfaced within Washington's King County. The batches were spread nationwide. So if the tampering occurred during manufacturing, more poison to bottles would appear elsewhere. On June. Twenty four in an urban paints, a fantasy Storm manager noticed something out of place. A bottle of sometimes strength. Denison. Three brain pain relief was sitting on a can of peanuts. Two rows away from the medicine oil. Finding items in isles they didn't belong, wasn't particularly unusual that were often left behind by customers who changed their minds, meet shop. but the store manager was immediately suspect,
This bottle was an excedrin. The focus of the current recall He handed the innocent three to the fbr. It too was tested. The fifty pill bottle only had forty five capsules and four of those contained solenoid. It was the first Non Excedrin brand product to contain the poison reconfirmed the tampering occurred within the king, canny community and not in the Adoption chain of aid, their accession or innocent three, because the two products, where from completely different manufacturing plants, investigators believed the offender lived locally and planted the poisoned products in regional stores, where it was Asia and less suspicious for them to do so. The FBI Put together a psychological profile of the unknown perpetrator.
They speculated the killer may have attended the memorial service is a baby comes to further avoid suspicion, revel in the chaos they caused bottom up, the police realising the poisoning, encompassed different pain, relief, brands. Washington's affected a naughty day ban on the sale of all non prescription. Medication in capsule form drug companies impacted by the ban came together and offered a three hundred thousand dollar reward for the capture of the person responsible. A total of five poisoned bottles had so far been located. Susan snow had one burst: Nicole, had two and two others were found on store shelves in the. been and nearby can't the bottles were sent to the FBI in Washington D C for further analysis. None of them if she was inside her fingerprints. The offender luckily wore gloves.
even though the bottles were in various states examined observed them collectively and wherever a paste together, the offender implanted, the poison, the Box Packaging was carefully opened along sayings. If the seal around the neck of the bottles were cut to gain access, a visit alteration immediately obvious to unsuspecting persons. The capsules were opened and their contents poured out. Ray filled with approximately seven hundred milligrams of cyanide. The casings were then sealed. Back together. Poisoned capitals were mixed. In with the dozens of plain pills, it was impossible to tell the difference between, to buy the medicinal powder and solenoid. What what and when placed in transparent red casing. They all looked the same to the human eye. The bottles were placed back in the box packaging, which was glued back together to look as though it had never been opened
The so annoyed was extensively examined. Found with The white powder were traces of twenty grand crystals. Something usually found in so annoyed, I had no idea what it could be and crystals, where analyzed, using and mass spectrometer a divorce I can identify the exact chemical components of an unknown sample. The green crystals the term and to be made up of four common chemicals at using samisen decline and ammonia. Iran. Together, they spoke chemicals were known to be components: avowed aside a biased Used for clearing and preventing the growth of algae following this discovery, Gradient lists of hundreds of commercially produce dad, you saw it. Products were inspected to find any specifically containing advising seem his aim decline and ammonia. Iran.
And if the chemist scanning the shelves of an aquarium fish store, found an exact match. The four chemicals. Where the ingredients of a brand of algae, sod, cold, algae, destroyer, it came in at least a pack of aiding tablets following instructions. The tablets were meant to be dropped, striding to aquarium water where they deserve. The chemicals would distribute and clear the algae, atrium tablet was grain when crossed into a powder, the tablets became twenty green flex that were an exact match to those found in this. So I need. F, B, O S special agent, John Sylvester, visited a variety of pet stores throughout King County. He carried a folder of photographs, People well known to Susan Snow when Bruce nickel at age store. He questioned stuff if they recognised any persons period as customers who purchased the algae. Destroyer
He entered the store, called fish gallery and pets. The store's manager, twenty we're out Tom Noonan confirmed the store stock, She destroyer, but not often as he wasn't. A fan of the product moist With safe into the pack and Hoddan tablets, making them near insoluble essentially useless, he prefers stocking liquid out. You saw it but would ordering the algae destroyer, if requested by a customer spent why just so Festa showed Tom, his father of photographs, asking if anyone looked familiar, one fact I caught Tom's attention. A woman with long wavy, dark, hair. He couldn't remember her name but knew her as a frequent, sometimes weekly customer. She was a hobbyist fish caper, with several line, the quorum stocked with tropical varieties.
She spoke to him of her dream to one day open her own tropical fish store the photo Tom Eddie out the special agent Sylvester was still unequal. Tom explained Dela purchase liquid algaecide, but didn't care for complaining. It didn't work, so she requested algae, destroy a tablet not wanting to lose a loyal customer tom. Put aside his dislike of the product and ordered it in still aboard the algae, Destroyer Tom warned her of the products tendency to harden and becoming sociable ensure the artist saw dissolved in her tank Tom advised Stella to cross the tablets. First. Evidence pointed towards still unequal. She purchased the algae, destroy the protein. two traces were found in the Sinai that killed by her husband and Susan Snow,
he saw no itself was grand up in the same container that was previously used to crush the out you destroy tablets, yet still a nickel is the killer, didn't make any sense if she did murder Bruce He got away with it at the completion of these initial war. Topsy when he's cause of death was rude is natural causes. The case was closed. All she had to do from that day onwards was to play the part of the grieving widow and stay quiet. Why would she instead cool authorities, awake, lighter, brilliant tension to herself and delay investigators determined, Bruce, was murdered and where did Susan Snow fit into the plot sorry investigation into stolen nickel, began
The only lead to some intriguing discoveries, the Nicholls wearing date, financial debt days before Bruces death, North Pacific bank sent a couple of Fano delinquency notice on their mortgage stolen. Oh responded in a letter to her credit is quite diesel, I know that I am tremendously avenue with my payments. There is good reason for it I'm having marital problems there about solved and I'd like to us if you will have faith in me personally,. Bruce is no longer involved, and I would like a chance to prove my worth to you. Stella Tok, nine hundred and twenty seven off from work and went shopping with a friend, a visit at Johnny's market and appliance. I pharmacy with her friends. Were gold Stella purchased more than one bottle of Excedrin.
between June three and five Stella didn't going to work on, evening of June five Burst nickel died Stella was the sole beneficiary have about seventy six thousand dollars in insurance on her husband's live within a day no payout of one hundred thousand dollars. If his death was ruled, accidental Bruce Nichols original autopsy report concluded. He died as a consequence of emphysema. Therefore, his death was not considered an but as a result of a pre existing condition caused by smoking habits. Stella disputed the report. From the moment I was handed down. When the news of Susan Snows, notably cyanide, was publicized, awake, lighter Stella was quick to profess. Her husband died, Under similar circumstances, her claims were soon confirmed afterwards,
She was handed her husband's new death certificate, stated Brewster, Of acute so annoyed poisoning. As it was being investigated as a homicide, insurance was it was considered an accidental death. Stella was set to collect the one hundred thousand dollar accident payout. Bruce Nichols signed off on his accidental death policy just six months before his death. However, the hand writing expert concluded Bruce. His name was signed by someone else. There were no spoke differences between the application signature and these other known samples. The end and k specifically There were not consistent with the white. Bruce usually saw Andy's name, but they were consistent with the wife. Stella saw and heard. Stella had a history of falsifying documents in nineteen. Seventy one she was
convicted of a single count of forgery spending six months in prison. before being released for good behavior. A life insurance pay out was a well established, a motive for murder, but it didn't proof, Stella, killed, Bruce A search of her home and workplace found no traces of cyanide. She didn't then have algae destroyer amongst her aquarium supplies. Yet Investigators were aware that, right after Bruce's death, Stella took a knee three, Dr Aced from organ to win. Naturally, she claimed We made the trip to visit Bruce's parents and personally inform them of their son's death, but she never met with them. Possible Stella used. This trip has an opportunity to discard evidence. what investigators did find in the nickel home was yet another bottle of exception. This one
located in a cupboard underneath the bathroom sink. Curiously, the bottle came from batch number five heights, one zero, two The same lot, Susan Snows tampered bottle, came from tests concluded the bottle founding. The Nicholls bathroom did not contain so annoyed waste capsules stellar insisted she had no idea how the bottle got then but there was also the matter of the two bottles of Excedrin Stella did know about and had given investigators previously out of the fifty And he hasn't bottles of Excedrin examined since the death of Susan Snow. Only four were found to contain, so I know it still. A nickel had two out of the four she claimed she purchased her two bottles at different stores. Two weeks apart, mathematically, the chance
This happening was beyond rare investigators considered. If anyone could be someone lucky, polygraph testing had done a huge favor for poor web king in eliminating him as a suspect. Yet still unequal was Lessing. want to participate in her own. Her lawyer for her wrongful death suit against Bristol Myers advised her not to. The same lawyer told reporters Stella was too shaken up to be subjected to the intrusive examination and the accuracy of the test could be influenced by the prescription. Tranquilizers Stella was taking at the time yet still a d degree to be formally interviewed. Just not ball struck To allow detector her answers with direct and responsive she stopped to her seemingly unbelievable story of having purchased two of the poisoned, etc. Bottles.
Regarding her husband's life, Insurance Stella claimed Bruce had one policy valued between twenty five and thirty five thousand. Was she didn't mention the extra one hundred thousand dollars she was set to receive over the accidental death cause. She didn't deny forging Bruce his signature on the documents either according to Stella. Bruce was fully aware and consenting of it as she took responsibility of the paperwork in the relationship they gave her permission to sign off on things on his behalf. Investigators then asked Stella if her fish tanks had out Problems, the question elicited a bizarre reaction, still I blurted out that she didn't use that product Infused investigators asked what product rattled still ass good at around the question and wouldn't say anything more about it.
Stellar insisted she was willing to help with further investigations. But when asked again to participate in a polygraph test, she started to cry and questioned why there were doing this to her. Adding she loved her husband and didn't wanna. Go through such an ordeal upon realizing. She was the promised us back in her husband's motor, Stella, relented and finally agreed to the polygraph test. Things had dragged on far too long, stellar said, and she had nothing to hide Throughout the examination Stella not any involvement in her husband's death. The lie detector results determined. She was being deceptive. Motive and opportunity were abundant, but evidence was still there much circumstantial. The law detect Results were not indisputable, as the machines accuracy had always been debatable, invest
This new, the test results wouldn't hold up in court. They needed something more conclusive. And there was still the matter of seasons: noise, murder, a woman, Stella Nickel had never met and didn't know with no evidence to arrest her still unequal was frayed ago, but his words spread of Stella Nicholls filed polygraph test the f B. I received a phone call. Twenty six year old Cynthia had a strange love hate relationship with her mother, still unequal in many ways: is the pair, were very alike in appearance and personality. Both were walled in spirit and physically independent, since here inherited her mothers, love and not love and rebellious streak.
However, from the moment Cynthia was conceived, their relationship was destined to be rocky. During her childhood Cynthia found out, she was a child of ripe. As a mother. Stella was a tough disciplinarian There were talks of abuse, including an incident in Noname, sixty nine, resulting in Stella's arrest for baiting Cynthia, who would have been around ten years old at the time after a night spent in jail, Stella was released. Ass Cynthia grew louder, the tumultuous relationship amplified and the two lived very separate lives. Occasionally that way back together, but very quickly. Snap apart. in nineteen seventy eight nineteen years, Cynthia fell pregnant hope her baby would bring the pair closer together faded when Stella responded to the enhancement, I'm not ready to be a grandmother
Cynthia did value her mother in some ways whenever she needed work still, I would hope her fond it blocking nineteen. Eighty six, Stella got her a job at around workplace. The Seattle Tacoma International Airport, during this period, Stella confided in her daughter about her crippling financial when stellar enquired about drugs. Cynthia thought Mother was so desperate for cash. She was considering becoming a dealer still. was most curious about cocaine specifically How much was needed to cause an overdose she raised, query without further explanation. Cynthia felt probing for information would be pointless having learned long ago, not to question her mother in another
A conversation still amused about hiring a hitman. She pondered optimal assassination techniques from hit and runs to cut car copyrights remaining elusive about who the target of her fantasy motive for higher plot was. Actually, she let it slip. It was her husband Bruce. Cynthia was aware. The relationship between her mother and stepfather was rocky still regret. Regretted Bruce's sobriety as it brought an abrupt end to the couple's fun social nights of drunken bar hopping nowadays. Bruce was a homebody who preferred spending not settled in front of the. They too Stella, then you laugh star was style and boring. No matter how reference Bruce with Strong willed. He refused to give in to temptation and full back into unhealthy drinking habits, seeking fun
Stella would disappear for days at a time pursuing fleeting hookups until Bruce tracked. Her down ending their relationship wasn't an option for Bruce he loved, Stella and couldn't himself to leave her hoping in time should re adjust to the new him, but she didn't Stella Red frustrations about her marriage at work, telling coworkers she loved being on light shift, because you didn't have to say much. Bruce colleagues listened but offered little advice. They found stellar intimidating She had a menacing glare that ensure things were always done. Her way, the told others never to challenge your question. Her Stella divorcing Bruce wasn't an option should lose half of everything and she didn't have much to begin with. She often fantasized aloud what she would do with a life insurance payout if and when Bruce died.
Opening her own tropical fish door was at the forefront of these fantasies. Cindy. Refused to believe and mother was seriously contemplating murder convincing. no self. It was all in her head. Her mom was just joking inventing She agonized telling Bruce, but her mother His heavy intimidation compelled her to stay quiet, Cindy how does if it really came down to ending the relationship. Still, I would just initiate a divorce when Bruce Stella sends her daughters, suspicion, Stella told Cynthia. I know what you're thinking and it's no true Her mother, Cynthia latched onto the autopsy ruling of emphysema. Its once turned. Agone concerns a medical professional reached. The conclusion, therefore, I must be correct when she lighter found out Bruce, was poisoned.
She against her another's involvement but Cynthia, couldn't be sure of it. When questioned by authorities, she defended, and said nothing negative about her mother and stepfather. This relationship, it wasn't until Cynthia found out Stella failed a polygraph test when her deception changed to confirm her suspicions. and a raised lingering down. That's when she, decided to contact the FBI and tell them the truth about her mother. Agents were wary to act suddenly on Cynthia statements since were raised regarding Cynthia's credibility. Given her tomorrow who was relationship with Stella and the fact she had. come forward sooner. Her statements, boy,
down to his side and only added to the pool of circumstantial evidence they had already amassed. Cynthia stories were compelling been investigated needed evidence. Nevertheless, the F B, I maintained communications with Cynthia overturn historic, became. More damning. She spoke of her mother's study of poison during visits to the library, Stella researched poisonous plants and learned about foxglove a tubular flower that blooms on a tall spark. The entire plant is toxic, including it's roots and said it's foxglove grew abundantly in the wooded area adjacent to the Nichols Rural Property, approximately six miles before Bruce
there. She harvested foxglove seeds and put them into a casual casing. Two weeks later, she said to her unsuspecting husband. Her plan was clever, still a new Bruce chewed on wild grass he picked outside if he died. From her foxglove say pill, authorities would be easily food into thinking, Bruce accidentally poison himself by munching on the toxic plant, Bruce with sluggish for a couple of days and reports from his work. they told he complained of stomach pains, but he's a barbed Cynthia recalled her mother was visibly disappointed. This plan didn't work through her mention of poisoned plants. Cynthia had given investigators allayed. The FBI subpoenaed Stella, Nichols Library card
Stella check out numerous books from the open public library prior to her husband's death. One book she borrowed was toddled deadly harvest, a guard, the common poisonous plants. The book was sent for testing more than eighty finger and palmprints matching stores were discovered throughout pages. Sixty six and sixty seven days how toxic saved seven of sellers prints were found on these two pages pages idea. Eight and eighty nine featuring passages on cyanide contained a prince in another book: Mcgraw Hills, encyclopedia of science and technology, nor of still as fingerprints and a palmprint were found on pages detailing cyanide. Five more of those fingerprints and a palmprint were found in the soil
I'd section of the marriage students encyclopedia according to still has largely records. A book totalled human poisonings from native and cultivated plants was marked as overdue, indicating Stella borrowed that never returned it. Cynthia had one last piece of information to provide a third is, as the mother and daughter cobbled into work. One day, Stella brought up the Chicago Tall and all.
Is remarking how easy it would be too reenacted poisonings at work. The pair shed a locker for their belongings in the days before bruises death, Cynthia so capsules and the top aware container stored in a locker. The container held white powder which Cynthia resumed with sugar or saw the founded on her mother, never used it on meals. Upon reflection, she now believed with cyanide half the bruises death they contain, during capsules, vanished from the local as investigators piece together, evidence implicating still a nickel for the murder of her husband discussions commence
about where exactly Susan Snow Fit into the plot. At a cursory glance she didn't fit anywhere. Yet on deeper inspection, Susan's Raw was pivotal after Stella poisoned her husband, his death was incorrect. We label to natural causes. This was not the result. Stellar anticipated the so I know I didn't needed to be discovered, so his death would be rude and accident, allowing Stella to obtain bruises one hundred thousand dollar racks, a dental death life insurance, pyre, demeaning his death, be re examined, was risky. Questions would be raised. Suspicions He felt mimicking nature cargo tall and all notice, Stella tampered with additional exception bottles and a single bottle of innocent tree Inserting several saw another waste capitals in age. Wanting
create the illusion of was the work of a farmer suitable terrorist Stella planted these bottles on local store shelves then waited. Sometime between June eighth and ten, one thousand nine hundred and ninety six Susan Snow, Aventador Local General Store Albertson's north to collect all items on our shopping list, From a shelf in the medicine oil, she grabbed a sixty pill bottle of extra strength Excedrin. On June eleven Susan work with one of her usual headaches and took the excedrin to relieve it minutes later. Susan collapsed, suffocated and died. Upon Susan's death still, a nickel had the reason she needed to ask for her husband's death to be re examined without drawing attention to herself ass, a suspect,
creating the illusion that was an unknown mass murderer in town poisoning locals indiscriminately Stella stood amongst the ensuing chaos acting the grieving widow. All the wall aware, the remaining tampered boxes were still sitting on store shelves waiting to kill another innocent victim. investigators understood how fortunate they were when the solenoid was picked up during Susan's nose, autopsy leading to the product recalls. Who knows how many other people would have died if that had not been the case? was confidence in her plan, was not misplaced There was another was flawless game because of its simplicity and anonymity, if still motivation was simply to kill her husband. She had committed the perfect murder, the she was motivated by grade and brought attention to herself over time. Her plan came unstuck.
Small mistakes she carelessly made along the way she spoke of killing Bruce to her daughter. She saw these life away on insurance documents. She researched, poisoning library, books, planting a prince across relevant pages, and she trust the so annoyed salt in the same boat. She used to cross a reality, destroy tablets. on December nine. Nineteen, ninety seven stolen. Nicole, was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of product tampering, including two which resulted in the deaths of Susan Snow and Bruce Nickel, Tempering was recently enacted, federal charge introduced in the wake of the Chicago tall on all matters. an equally strong, beginning, eyebrow. Nineteen. Eighty eight,
Her daughter Cynthia appeared as the prosecution STAR witness in response to her daughters. Testimony Stella nickel took a stand and rebounded every climb. She was quick to establish her love for Bruce and how she helped him stop drinking boredom was in an issue in their relationship, Stella maintained she was happy husband was home more often she d I discussed discussions of men, overdoses and poison according to Stella the thought of getting rid of Bruce, never crossed her mind. Speaking of requirements, aquariums stellar admitted to shopping at fish gallery and pets into to knowing this it was manager, Tom, Noonan conceded algae destroy, might have been a topic of conversations they had been denied ever purchasing it. When confronted with the evidence of her finger and palm prints scattered throughout library, books on poison, Stella didn't
enjoy reading them. It was for research purposes. She insisted as she did a lot of babies She wanted to identify the toxic plants around her property and determine which ones were poisonous put forth Stella did more than simply rate up on plant types. Her palm prints presto. pages relating to solenoid, I think she didn't just dumb threw out of interest that help. Pages open blacklist, she was taking notes. having since come to realize how unbelievable her story was of having purchased two of the four tainted Excedrin bottles at different stores and times still on the claimed she didn't remember where all when she purchase them should no I'd shopping at the pay and say pharmacy, where one of the tempered bottles was found. However, seven checks on by Stella were recovered Almighty up to that specific store,
in closing arguments United States attorney Joe and made us stated quote because Stella Nickell, with cool, deliberation to eliminate them because it her interests to do so reflect a human Being without social or moral conscience I see human being, who is willing to adopt a horrendous course of action, as it was convenient to accomplishing her purposes, she had attempted to explain away all of her words and conduct justice, is attempted to explain away every shred of physical evidence in this case presented against her, but she, attempts to deny, and she attempts to explain away too much still Nickel attempts to escape it can ability for decisions which she made, which had irrevocable consequences to sue snow and two Bruce nickel,
after five days, deliberation on May nine. The jury returned to cod with a verdict. Stella, nickel was found guilty of all charges during sentencing, team asked for mercy. They argued first sentence that would allow some hope, the judge sightings Alice crimes as being of exceptional callousness and cruelty, sentenced her two to ninety terms for the two products entering charges relating to the deaths of Susan Snow and Bruce nickel Three Tenue terms for the remaining product tampering charges were also handed down stairs Nickel was also wanted to pay a fine in full Set timer remaining assets to the families of the victims, still in. Was convicted of the federal crime of product tampering causing death? No one
ever been convicted for the actual murders of Bruce Nickel or Susan Snow, Still maintained her innocence after her trial, she attempt to appeal her conviction, boss, but was rejected by Tom's by the court of appeal still unequal claimed her daughter Cynthia Lord about the case in order to rape, the three hundred thousand dollar reward offered by pharmaceutical companies for the capture of the person responsible. Others who knew Cynthia noted she was no fool. Adding she had no interest in giving up another until she heard of the reward money the claims Cynthia has since denied she made change. She didn't know about the reward until after she was working with the F B. I, after Stella's conviction, Cynthia collected two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the offered reward money.
The remainder went to various other witnesses whose information helped obtain a conviction, including Tom Noonan, the fish store manager, The FBI maintained Cynthia. His motivation was irrelevant. All that mattered was her information, led to the discovery of evidence that proved still a nickel was responsible for the deaths of Bruce Nickel and Susan Snow, and now a best beans affirmation. Air has been brags that he recorded. Two hundred thousand steps
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Transcript generated on 2022-03-19.