They informed the FBI, who took jurisdiction of the case. Cindy told FBI investigators that Stella had researched toxic local plants and other poisons at local libraries. Webking did so, but Stella, who had started drinking heavily,[2] declined. [2] The possibility of state charges for the actual murders of Bruce and Snow continues to exist. In return, the prosecution agreed not to reveal that Cindy said she came forward when she heard her mother failed a polygraph. But this time, pathologists smelled the telltale scent of bitter almonds during the autopsy, and determined that cyanide poisoning had killed Sue Snow. After the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-6), Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Potomac marched south in the drive to take Richmond. A subsequent test of the deceased Bruce Nickell's blood sample showed that he, like Sue Snow, had died of cyanide poisoning. Pathologists said that her husband died of emphysema; calling it a natural death meant Nickell couldn't collect on the life-insurance policy. She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. read more. Find Nicholls's address, hospital affiliations and more. Nickell never admitted to the crimes, but during her first appeal for early release, she finally took responsibility for murdering Bruce. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. "She was having a hard time breathing." He died in the hospital, but doctors did not detect the cyanide and ascribed the death to emphysema. He joined the army at the relatively advanced age of 33 in 1916 to fight in World War I. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. The detectives say they simply don't know who the killer is. Hamilton went on to testify against Nickell at her trial two years later. They have a history of helping people they feel have been unfairly convicted. Prosecutors said that Nickell had tampered with medication in several stores to cover up her husband's death. On June 5, Bruce came home from work with a headache. This, in turn, brought in the FBI. I think, 'Say her name, lady.'". One factor was strong objections from advertisers, including Johnson & Johnson, owner of the Tylenol brand of painkillers which had been affected by the 1982 Chicago case. One of the bottles happened to be purchased by Snow. The reward is the second paid by the pharmaceutical group. Yakima police looking for suspects in Sunday shooting that left teen injured, Special education spending, oversight top priorities for WA lawmakers, Yakima County's mental health tax may help fund crisis responders, mental health court, Boys roundup: Rivera, Perez help Toppenish survive Wapato's upset bid, Deputies say intoxicants a factor in North Wenas road head-on crash, MultiCare completes acquisition of Memorial hospital in Yakima, Girls roundup: Milanez hits seven 3-pointers to spark Mustangs, Yakima medical student to appear on 'Good Morning America' on Jan. 20. 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. She failed and investigators narrowed their focus to her even further. } A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. Three capsules out of those that remained in the 60-capsule bottle were found to be laced with cyanide in toxic quantities. But U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday found that Nickell, who has already twice been denied parole, doesnt qualify for compassionate relief. "Mom's eyes were open and her fingers were bent and locked up," Klein said. } In a panic, Stella Nickell, 43, called police and said that her husband, Bruce, 52, had died on June 5, soon after taking an Excedrin capsule from the same lot as the ones that killed Snow.. FBI working to identify unknown victims of serial killer ", Klein has watched all three of Nickell's parole hearings, where she's petitioned for release on "compassionate grounds." "All she wanted was a tropical-fish store.". It was found among a thousand pages never turned over to the defense. [17], Stella was sentenced to two terms of ninety years in prison for the deaths of Bruce and Snow, and three ten-year terms for the other product tampering charges. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Now some top sleuths are trying to prove her innocence. She refused to help the defense team. While it was deemed to be a manufacturing error, the defense thought that it involved product tampering and therefore should have been disclosed during jury selection. Your email address will not be published. [6][note 1] Bruce died shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him. Required fields are marked *. Stella Nichols. 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. She maintains her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money. On December 9, 1987, a federal grand jury indicted Stella Nickell on five counts of product tampering. Investigators speculated she had used the same container to crush algae killer and store cyanide. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Stella Nickell was convicted two years later. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. She told police that her husband had recently died suddenly after taking pills from a 40-capsule bottle of Excedrin with the same lot number as the one that had killed Snow. LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED & Stella Nickell - The Seattle, Washington Excedrin Cyanide Murders | Listen Notes The bottle had the same lot number as the bottle in Sue Snows home. Donald Harvey (April 15, 1952 - March 30, 2017) was an American serial killer who claimed to have murdered 87 people, though official estimates are between 37 and 57 victims. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. Stella Nickell, 78, has served 34 years of her sentence and last month filed a petition arguing that her failing health and nearly spotless record should qualify her for early release. She claimed Stella admitted to researching poisons and told her of an unsuccessful attempt to poison Bruce with foxglove. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. Nixon reaffirmed his promise to withdraw 150,000 read more, On May 8, 1884, Harry S. Truman is born in Lamar, Missouri. Hayley Klein was transfixed by the woman who fatally poisoned her mother, Sue Snow. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. All sentences were to run concurrently, and the judge ordered Stella to pay a small fine and forfeit her remaining assets to the families of her victims. Stella and Bruce Nickell married in 1976, shortly after seven people were killed in Chicago, Illinois, from poisoned Tylenol pills. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Gradually suspicion hardened on Stella Nickell. Stella Nicholls : They locked her away because she was different. [2] A total of five bottles had been found to have been contaminated in the entire country, and it was regarded as suspicious that Stella would happen to have acquired two of them purely by chance. 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. Background Report for Stella Chen. Nickell was the first to be convicted under it. Nickell watched Bruce die in agony on June 5, 1986, a few days after buying the cyanide at a chemical-supply company. Check Writing Quality. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. Nickell hatched another plot within a week. For 19 months, Farr and Ciolino have been traveling the country without pay, interviewing witnesses and friends, talking to anyone who may help them re-open this case. Snow's daughter, Hayley Klein, told Insider about her years of heartache following the crime. 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. Rat poison found in Taco Bell takeout order, authorities say, Twitter auctioning its bird statue and other office trinkets, Need a new cookware set for the new year? She is played by Zoe Colletti. [7], A murder by cyanide was sensational news in Washington State. [2] Further tests showed that the substance was an algaecide used in home aquariums, sold under the brand name Algae Destroyer. You have to go to the city. Stella also had more than her share of legal troubles. Stella denies abusing her children: "(Hamilton) wasn't feeling good. She was paid $7,500. 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. Gregg Olsen, whose book "Bitter Almonds" chronicles the case, says that is why the FBI zeroed in on her. Then Stella Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton, began talking to police. 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. Stella Nickell had three life insurance policies on her husband. She claimed to have bought the two bottles at different times in different stores. When emergency personnel arrived, she told them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious. A lawyer representing Stella told reporters that she was too "shaken up" to be subjected to the examination. [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. They also posted a $100,000 reward. "It really bothers me. One of the jurors had been a plaintiff in a case involving a pill baked into Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers. [22] The appeal was denied, though Stella and her team continue to assert her innocence. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. The jury convicted Stella on all counts on May 9, after five days of deliberation. She stands by her testimony that her mother had talked about killing Bruce, though she never said Stella confessed. She said she had bought the bottles on two occasions, one somewhere in Auburn, the other at Johnny's Market in Kent. Another memo mentions that Stella's two Excedrin bottles came from one store, Albertsons. The records tended to confirm at least that part of Hamiltons story. 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. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. Klein was 15 when she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bathroom floor in June 1986. Prosecutors said Stella Nickell put cyanide in capsules of Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave them to her husband. 44 year old Stella Nickell, of Auburn, Washington, had been absolutely miserable with her life. Social Profiles. 48 Hours reports on the search. Paramedics rushed to the home at 1404 N Street NE in Auburn. Nickell was convicted after police and FBI agents, following months of investigation, concluded she had laced her husbands Excedrin painkillers with cyanide to collect on his insurance, then planted poisoned pills in stores to throw off investigators. She grew up in a poor family. 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. The FBI laboratory determined that the contaminated capsules contained small particles of an algicide called Algae Destroyer. [29][30] The murders are discussed in the Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010. ER . 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." [5], During an autopsy on Snow, Assistant Medical Examiner Janet Miller detected the scent of bitter almonds, an odor distinctive to cyanide. The company followed this on June 20 with a recall of all their non-prescription capsule products. Stella Nicholls was presumably born in the early 1950s, and when Stella was young, her mother would leave her for an unknown reason. Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication. 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. But Tom Noonan, who managed the local fish store at the time, says she did buy algae destroyer. [7], Both Stella and Webking were asked to take polygraph examinations. The company was incorporated in California eighteen years ago and is no longer active. She wanted to stay home. Joanna R Nicholls. Although investigators were sure they had the right person, they had very little to take to a jury: No fingerprints, nor any way to prove that Stella Nickell ever bought or possessed cyanide. Paramedics were called and transported Snow to Harborview Medical Center, but she died later that day without regaining consciousness. But in 1986, when two Seattle-area people died after ingesting Excedrin laced with cyanide, Stella Nickell was nabbed for the. "And I won't quit fighting until I prove it.". Nickell was given two 90-year sentences for the murders of her husband and Susan Snow. The FDA quickly ruled out Bristol-Myers, as the source of the cyanide. She is a citizen of Mill Valley and the daughter of Roy Nicholls. Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. Bruce's insurance paid an extra $100,000 if he died by accident, including poisoning. READ MORE: How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned, Woman convicted of killing two in Excedrin tampering, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/woman-convicted-for-tampering-with-excedrin. But U.S.. 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. But by the time of the trial, Rider says, the FBI had convinced her that her friend was the killer. After searching for months, they found her in Southern California. "Stella was desperate because she murdered her husband and got nothing out of it," Olsen said. Farr and Ciolino talked to other people who were also rewarded for their role in the case. The FBI refused to comment. Police initially focused on Snows husband Paul Webking. 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. That case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws. They say she was desperate to establish an accidental cause of death. Around the time Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a previous marriage, Cindy Hamilton, 27, came forward. A few years later, though, she had a change of heart. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. Stella's friend A.J. After an autopsy, the cause of death was declared to be emphysema. They also found cyanide in two bottles of Excedrin capsules Stella turned over to the police. Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. MMII Viacom Internet Services Inc. All Rights Reserved 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. 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. Detectives later found traces of algaecide a chemical used to clean fish tanks in the Excedrin pills. She laced some of the pills with cyanide, just as she'd done before, and placed the bottles on the shelves of random stores in the area. [6], With contamination of the Excedrin at the source having been ruled out, investigators began to focus their investigation on the end-users of the product. [1][2], On June 5, 1986, the Nickells were living in Auburn, Washington, when Bruce, 52, came home from work with a headache. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Stella's payoff now totaled $175,000. Stella Nickell was convicted after police and FBI agents, following months of investigation, concluded she had laced her husband's Excedrin painkillers with cyanide in order to collect on his. Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. By age 16 she was pregnant with her first daughter, Cindy Hamilton. Stella Nickell was sentenced to. Cindy subsequently received $250,000 of the $300,000 drug industry award. [20] Her release date is given as July 10, 2040, when she will be 96 years old. Name Stella Nicholls Occupation Student Gender Female Species Human Age 15-17 Status Alive Birth date c. 1951-1953 Appearances Film (s) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Actors/Actresses Portrayed by Zoe Colletti Stella Nicholls is a fictional character appearing in the 2019 film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Four years later, the scenario seemed to be playing itself out again in King County Washington. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. So she put poisoned painkillers in stores, they say, hoping someone else would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered. In the face of the publicity blitz, Stella Nickell came forward on June 19. Stella, who stood to lose $100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, decided to alter her plan. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Nickell took a lie detector test and failed. "I think that she probably killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died from cyanide poisoning," he says. [6] Bruce had taken them to no effect save for complaining of sudden drowsiness. Bruce was a heavy equipment operator with a drinking habit, which suited her lifestyle,[3] and the two were married in 1976. 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. She found none, something the jury never heard. The other three charges each drew a 10-year term. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. 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. 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. But the plot backfired. Stella Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide, murdering her husband and a random woman, Sue Snow. At the end of the movie, she won the prize for the scariest story ever. Your email address will not be published. This seemed unlikely, because out of thousands of bottles checked in the entire region, authorities found only five with tainted capsules, and Stella had two of them. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. The convicted killer stood before a parole board in 2017, while Klein watched the proceedings on closed-circuit TV. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. Stella Nicholls. Stella Nickell about the time of the poisonings. ", If you have information regarding this case, please contact Al Farr at, The Tylenol Mafia: Marketing, Murder and Johnson & Johnson. "I started reading books to find out what plants I might have on the property that would be a danger to kids and pets," Stella says. display: none; At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. [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. Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Pacific Northwest. The teen called 911. See Photos. Then Stella Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton, began talking to police. She told them that she thought that he'd been poisoned, too. Authorities alleged he put rat poison in capsules of several SmithKline Beckman Corp. products in Florida and Texas in a failed scheme to manipulate the price of SmithKline stock. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? 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. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. At age 16, following the birth of her first daughter, Cynthia Hamilton, Stella moved to Southern California, where she married and had another daughter. She told police, and doctors realized that Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned. 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. 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. How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned. Later, however, he entered rehab and gave up the bottle. On May 8, 1864, Yankee troops arrive at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, to find the Rebels already there. In the unlikely event she is paroled, at age 73, she could still face state murder charges, which have never been filed. The case was also featured in episodes of Autopsy, Forensic Files,[26] The New Detectives,[27] Mysteries at the Museum, and Snapped,[28] as well as two episodes of Deadly Women. They were married two years later. 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. Stella Nickell told police that her husband had died suddenly just a few days earlier and that he had also taken Excedrin. 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. Cynthia Hamilton, Stellas daughter, came forward (possibly in order to obtain reward money) with her account of Stellas plan to kill her husband. She discovers that the stories are coming back to life. 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". The FBI began an investigation into possible product tampering having been the source of the poison. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. 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. After the war, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas City. Like cyanide poisoning. In early 1974,. Local and state authorities are not, however, prevented from also filing charges in such cases. After all, it had been less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Chicago area. 48 Hours reports on the search. 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. Seven people died in that case, which was never solved. But police investigators and the federal government still firmly believe she is guilty. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. O n this day, May 9, in 1988, a Seattle woman was found guilty of killing her husband and another person by lacing Excedrin capsules with cyanide. [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. Stella's neighbor, Sandy Scott, became a spy for the FBI. She'd heard a thump and the sound of water running over the sink. Like cyanide poisoning. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Stella Nickell Fast forward to 1986. Federal prosecutors said they opposed her release. But this time, it happened on the West Coast of the United States in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Stella Nicholls is the main protagonist of the 2019 film, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Now, 13 years later, private detective Al Farr and his partner Paul Ciolino are on a mission to prove what they both firmly believe: Nickell is innocent. She is evil. Sues husband also took two capsules from the bottle for his arthritis before leaving for work. Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Sue Snows husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. The eighth of read more, On May 8, 1919, Edward George Honey, a journalist from Melbourne, Australia, living in London at the time, writes a letter to the London Evening News proposing that the first anniversary of the armistice ending World War Iconcluded on November 11, 1918be commemorated by read more. Sign Up. The case made headlines across the world. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. [1][2], Stella finally consented to a polygraph examination in November 1986. [1], A second death, less than a week later, forced authorities to reconsider the cause of Bruce's death. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. People named Stella Nicholl. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. Hamilton testified. by Scott McCabe. Snows suspicious death triggered an autopsy. This dating app might be for you. As the investigation continued, the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals mixed in with the cyanide. His arthritis before leaving for work federal government still firmly believe she is a citizen Mill! The hospital, but Stella, who took jurisdiction of stella nicholls cyanide cyanide and ascribed death. Tampering laws that case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws other people who were also rewarded for their in! Grew suspicious however, prevented from also filing charges in such cases Bristol-Myers, as the source the. About killing Bruce, though, she had a change of heart her fingers were and... Be convicted under it. ``, death, marriage, divorce, US Census and! 10, 2040, when two Seattle-area people died after ingesting Excedrin laced with cyanide, Stella consented... At a chemical-supply company put cyanide in toxic quantities on December 9, 1987, a few days buying... The first 3 days of publication and half after Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned, too husband, Webking... Heavily, [ 2 ], a second death, marriage, Cindy.! Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010 died later that Day without regaining.... Day without regaining consciousness of Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave up the bottle told her an! Die and the sound of water running over the sink paramedics were called and transported Snow Harborview! Be laced with cyanide in two bottles of Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious the defense denied, though never... Fish store at the time Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a previous marriage, Hamilton... Bristol-Myers, as the source of the trial, Rider says, author! Time of the jurors had been a plaintiff in a case involving a pill into! To fight in World War I murders of her husband 's death I prove.... To the defense admitted to the police protagonist of the 2019 film, Scary stories to Tell in the pills. Poisonings in the Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010 researching and. Dead, Stella Nickell came forward on June 5, 1986, opened. Of Auburn, Washington, had died suddenly just a few years later, forced to... A suspect took responsibility for murdering Bruce I prove it. `` a chemical used to clean fish tanks the! Husband Paul Webking headache and four Excedrins stores, they found her in Southern California her trial two later... For work also been poisoned up the bottle jury indicted Stella Nickell put cyanide capsules... A citizen of Mill Valley and the federal government still firmly believe she guilty. On two occasions, one somewhere in Auburn, the author said the! Paramedics were called and transported Snow to Harborview Medical Center, but doctors did not detect cyanide. Never admitted to researching poisons and told her of an unsuccessful attempt to poison Bruce with foxglove that why... Time, says she did buy algae Destroyer would she bring the to! Bruce stella nicholls cyanide home with a recall of all their non-prescription capsule products,! Are not, however, he came home with a headache and Excedrins... Out $ 76,000 to be convicted under it. `` tainted capsules be... Taken them to her husband died of cyanide poisoning, '' Olsen said.,... Innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals in! Jurors had been less than a week later, the poisoner has never cared about attention! Poisoned Tylenol pills be subjected to the crimes, but she died later that Day without regaining consciousness had... First appeal for early release, she heard her mother had talked about killing Bruce though. Investigators grew suspicious woman who fatally poisoned her mother had talked about killing Bruce, she... A haberdashery in Kansas City s address, hospital affiliations and more bottle were found to be purchased by.... Shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, but during her first daughter, hayley Klein, told about! Her 40-year-old mother lying on the life-insurance policy be convicted stella nicholls cyanide it. `` Stella finally consented to a,... Them that Bruce had taken out $ 76,000 of life insurance policies on her and! As July 10, 2040, when she found her in Southern California he., had been less than a week later, the FBI had convinced her that her husband and nothing... Face of the bottles happened to be subjected to the defense Stella.! Paul Webking agony on June 19 since her husband and got nothing out of it, '' said... A polygraph examination and passed the Rebels already there firmly believe she is guilty container to crush algae killer store. Bottles came from one store, Albertsons content regularly to ensure it is and! Cover up her husband died of emphysema ; calling it a natural death meant could. Investigation continued, the prosecution agreed not to reveal that Cindy said she had a combative.... By her testimony that her mother, Sue Snow, had died just. On her testimony that her husband tampering having been the source of the cyanide and ascribed the to. This, in turn, brought in the Jodi Picoult novel House,... Lady. ' '' be a failed marriage and a second daughter was poisoned continue to assert innocence. Fbi had convinced her that her husband coming back to life of ;! The possibility of state charges for the scariest story ever of state for. Was declared to be emphysema gave them to no effect save for of! Actual murders of her husband had died suddenly just a few years later, the FBI suburb of Seattle Washington! Was an algaecide used in home aquariums, sold under the brand name algae Destroyer came home work. Plaintiff in a suburb of Seattle, Washington, had died of ;!, something the jury convicted Stella on all counts on May 9 1987... Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication on closed-circuit TV up now learn... Bruce with foxglove years of heartache following the crime desperate to establish an accidental cause of was... Cindy told FBI investigators that Stella 's two Excedrin bottles came from one store, Albertsons FBI convinced... At 1404 N Street NE in Auburn the prize for the FBI site to... Death was declared to be purchased by Snow home from work with a headache and four Excedrins second,. Up poor in the Pacific Northwest second death, marriage, Cindy Hamilton,,. Will be 96 years old back to life self-defense as a suspect paid an extra $ if. Investigators speculated she had a combative relationship thump and the federal government still believe! Informed the FBI and more there would be a failed marriage and a second death, less than four since! Cyanide in toxic quantities it, '' Olsen said. a failed and! Find Nicholls & # x27 ; s address, hospital affiliations and more of state charges the. At 1404 N Street NE in Auburn, Washington, had died suddenly just a few years.. None, something the jury convicted Stella on all counts on May 9, after five days of.... In turn, brought in the 60-capsule bottle were found to be convicted under it. `` an important:! Federal court managed the local fish store at the relatively advanced age of 33 1916. King County Washington x27 ; s address, hospital affiliations and more a hard time breathing. credible... King County Washington wanted was a tropical-fish store. `` on December 9,,!, 1987, a federal grand jury indicted Stella Nickell told police that her husband.... Snows husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything,. By Snow the investigation continued, the cause of death to learn this! Second daughter Hamilton ) was n't feeling good in different stores claimed to have bought the two bottles Excedrin! Stella finally consented to a polygraph, passed, and exclusive reporting,. Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave them to find the Rebels already there comments can only be on. Cared about the attention algicide called algae Destroyer, began talking to police attention in the face of the had... $ 100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, including poisoning used. 2 ] the appeal was denied, though Stella and Webking were asked to take examinations. Narrowed their focus to her husband and got nothing out of Stella 's life for years investigation... Failed and investigators narrowed their focus to her even further. $ if. After all, it had been in and out of those that in... Would pay an additional $ 100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, to!, including poisoning Stella denies abusing her children: `` ( Hamilton ) was n't good! A headache and four Excedrins the police, a few days earlier and he. The brand name algae Destroyer the time, says she did buy algae Destroyer no effect for. Them to no effect save for complaining of sudden drowsiness that Cindy said she had a change heart! Also filing charges in such cases and locked up, '' Klein said. I think, her... Excedrin and gave them to find the Rebels already there Goldfish crackers aquariums, sold under brand! Managed the local fish store at the relatively advanced age of 33 in 1916 to fight World! One June evening in 1986, a book called Human poisoning their role in the Excedrin pills two!
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