After an autopsy, the cause of death was declared to be emphysema. She claimed to have bought the two bottles at different times in different stores. She was sentenced to 90 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. [3] At 6:30 am, their 15-year-old daughter Hayley found Snow collapsed on the floor of her bathroom, unresponsive and with a faint pulse. Two more insurance policies on Bruce's life now came to light. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider They had thought it was drug overdose, but she was not a known user, and had taken only a couple of Extra - Strength Excedrin. Hamilton eventually collected $250,000 of that money. "48 Hours": Brooke Skylar Richardson case Stella Nicholls was presumably born in the early 1950s, and when Stella was young, her mother would leave her for an unknown reason. Over a few weeks, Farr met with her twice. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In June 1986, two Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. "But more importantly, I know who didn't do it and that's Stella Nickell. Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. 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. Stella Nickell by Michael Thomas Barry O n May 8, 1988, Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. [5] On June 27, Washington State put into effect a 90-day ban on the sale of non-prescription medication in capsules. Nickell was given two 90-year sentences for the murders of her husband and Susan Snow. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. A few years later, though, she had a change of heart. display: none; Despite a strong circumstantial case, there was no direct proof that Stella Nickell had bought or used cyanide. by Scott McCabe. When Cindy was 9, Stella was charged with hitting her with a curtain rod, bruising her legs. Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. } According to Stellas daughter from a previous marriage, Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon. Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Pacific Northwest. FBI working to identify unknown victims of serial killer To Nickell's frustration, the autopsy failed to pick up on the poison. [5], In response to the publicity, Stella came forward on June 19. Nickell hatched another plot within a week. She is played by Zoe Colletti. Tests confirmed that Snow had died from acute cyanide poisoning. [1] In the course of their ten-year marriage, Bruce entered a drug rehab and gave up drinking, which Stella reportedly resented as she later felt he had "turned into a boring man". "It all just kind of dawned on me, wait a minute, this was a whole setup," she says. "It's entirely possible that the real killer is walking around somewhere out there," says Farr. #inline-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { 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. Never-before-seen photos and details about accused Idaho killer A year later, Stella put cyanide in an Excedrin capsule that Bruce later took for a headache. In inorganic cyanides, the cyanide group is present as the cyanide anion CN.This anion is extremely poisonous.Soluble salts such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) and potassium . Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. [7] On June 18, Bristol-Myers recalled all Excedrin capsules in the United States, pulling them from store shelves and warning consumers to not use any they may already have bought;[7] two days later the company announced a recall of all of their non-prescription capsule products. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. Her release date is set for July 10, 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old. She said she had bought the bottles on two occasions, one somewhere in Auburn, the other at Johnny's Market in Kent. }, First published on June 4, 2001 / 12:09 PM. The other three charges each drew a 10-year term. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. All Rights Reserved. Pathologists said that her husband died of emphysema; calling it a natural death meant Nickell couldn't collect on the life-insurance policy. He died in the hospital, but doctors did not detect the cyanide and ascribed the death to emphysema. I think, 'Say her name, lady.'". Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. Stella Maudine Stephenson was a native of Colton, Oregon. Stella Nichols. Check Writing Quality. She told police, and doctors realized that Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned. Around the time Stella failed a FBI polygraph, her daughter from a previous marriage, Cindy Hamilton, 27, came forward. Stella is not perfect: She once served four months in jail for check fraud. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. Explore historical records and family tree profiles about Stella Nicholls on MyHeritage, the world's family history network. Read. 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 June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. [5], During an autopsy on Snow, Assistant Medical Examiner Janet Miller detected the scent of bitter almonds, an odor distinctive to cyanide. 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. Stella Nickell's small-time world was one of big-time dreams. Somewhat bizarrely, he said, Nickell planned to use the money to open a pet store selling tropical fish. Stella Nickell Fast forward to 1986. She told them her mother had often spoken of wanting Bruce dead. A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. To fill the now empty hours at home, she began keeping a home aquarium. After building flatboats, de Soto and his 400 ragged troops crossed the great river under the cover of read more, On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, armed members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) surrender to federal authorities, ending their 71-day siege of Wounded Knee, site of the infamous massacre of 300 Sioux by the U.S. 7th Cavalry in 1890. So she put poisoned painkillers in stores, they say, hoping someone else would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered. Stella also alleges that the evidence actually points to another person as the killer, and that the testimony about various smaller details in the case, such as the store owner who testified about her having purchased Algae Destroyer, was influenced by promises of payment. "I couldn't take it in," she said. She was the first person to be found guilty of violating the Federal Anti-Tampering Act after putting cyanide. [1][2], On June 5, 1986, the Nickells were living in Auburn, Washington, when Bruce, 52, came home from work with a headache. Now, private detective Al Farr and his partner Paul Ciolino are on a mission to prove what they both firmly believe: Nickell is innocent. A lawyer representing Stella told reporters that she was too "shaken up" to be subjected to the examination. Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Six days later, Susan Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly. 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. Hamilton testified. She will be eligible for parole in 2017. 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. "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World.". When she saw a news report about a woman dying from Excedrin capsules filled with cyanide, she called the police. A consortium of drug companies, alarmed about product tampering, posted a $300,000 reward. read more. She also planted other bottles of cyanide-tainted Excedrin in local stores to divert suspicion, authorities said. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. [2] The case was referenced in an episode of In Plain Sight titled "Kill Pill", which aired November 23, 2018 on the Investigation Discovery channel. Paramedics were called and transported Snow to Harborview Medical Center, but she died later that day without regaining consciousness. It's a notorious case out of Auburn a woman convicted of lacing Excedrin painkillers with cyanide that killed two people in 1986, including her husband. On May 8, 1864, Yankee troops arrive at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, to find the Rebels already there. had offered the rewards for information leading to an arrest in the June, 1986, killings, which led to the nations first trial in a product-tampering death. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Stella handed two bottles of Excedrin over to police -- supposedly bought at two different times from two different stores. The odds of her selecting two contaminated bottles by random chance were astronomical. Local and state authorities are not, however, prevented from also filing charges in such cases. (CBS) Thirteen years ago, in Washington state, Stella Nickell was convicted of killing her husband Bruce, and Sue Snow, a bank manager, by putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules. In the face of the publicity blitz, Stella Nickell came forward on June 19. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. Your email address will not be published. [2] Investigators examined the contents of the Snow-Webking household and discovered the source of the cyanide: the bottle of Excedrin capsules that both Snow and Webking had used the morning of Snow's death. Includes Age, Location, Address History for Stella Chen; Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records . In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. The money was an attempt by the company to limit damages, because scared consumers had boycotted their products. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. One of the jurors had been a plaintiff in a case involving a pill baked into Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. Less than a week later, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager took two extra-strength Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. Stella Nicholls : No, Sarah, now it's your turn to hear a story. A sweep of grocery and pharmacy shelves in King County produced another tainted bottle from Johnny's Market in Kent, and the lot number of the bottle recovered from Sue Snow's home was publicized. Stella Nickell, an Auburn woman who was sentenced to 90 years in prison for product-tampering that left two people dead, is seen here in 1987 at the age of 44. "She didn't want notoriety," Olsen said. Federal prosecutors said they opposed her release. Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. 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. By CYNTHIA FLASH. "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. Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport. Joanna R Nicholls. Given credit for good behavior, Nickell will be eligible for release in 2040, when shes 96 years old, according to court documents. Olsen said that Nickell told her daughter, Cindy Hamilton, about the scheme, despite their fractious relationship, and how she was inspired by the Tylenol deaths. Later, however, he entered rehab and gave up the bottle. As the investigation continued, the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals mixed in with the cyanide. She bought nine more bottles of Excedrin and cut through the protective film with a razor blade. Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars. Bruce's insurance paid an extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, including poisoning. This, in turn, brought in the FBI. The case. "All she wanted was a tropical-fish store.". Whites hosting gig came about, in read more, On May 8, 1541, south of present-day Memphis, Tennessee, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River, one of the first European explorers to ever do so. Sue Snows husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed. Seven people died in that case, which was never solved. was to be made about the Nickell case to air on USA Network, but it was cancelled shortly before production began. The FBI laboratory determined that the contaminated capsules contained small particles of an algicide called Algae Destroyer. She originally called police and turned over two bottles of Excedrin. 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. The Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Assn. Klein told them that her mom, who was a bank manager in Auburn, Washington, was "popular and had a big personality.". They have a history of helping people they feel have been unfairly convicted. [22] The appeal was denied, though Stella and her team continue to assert her innocence. Stella Nickell about the time of the poisonings. Rushed to Harborview Medical Center, Bruce did not respond to doctors efforts to revive him. As Stella told it, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules before collapsing minutes later. Stella Maudine Stephenson was born in Colton, Oregon, to Alva Georgia "Jo" (ne Duncan; later changed her name to Cora Lee) and George Stephenson. The FDA quickly ruled out Bristol-Myers, as the source of the cyanide. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Cindy Hamilton was paid a $250,000 reward for her help in the case against her mother. Ramn Morales : If you're serious about being a writer, it's not going to happen here. 48 Hours reports on the search. They then looked toward Nickell. 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The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. Search for profiles by email and username. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. ", Klein has watched all three of Nickell's parole hearings, where she's petitioned for release on "compassionate grounds." [5] Investigators were also able to verify that Stella had purchased Algae Destroyer from a local fish store; it was speculated that the algaecide had become mixed with the cyanide when Stella used the same container to crush both substances without washing it in between uses. 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. Nickell was convicted and sentenced to 90 years in jail. When her mom's autopsy results showed she had died of cyanide poisoning, Klein struggled to process the news. On June 5, 1986 at 5:02 p.m., Stella Nickell called an emergency volunteer fire department on the Kent-Black Diamond Road. Death by cyanide poisoning was big news in Washington. Nickell took advantage of the panic created by Snow's death and asked police to consider Bruce's case as part of their investigation. She found none, something the jury never heard. But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. In 1988 in Washington state, Stella Nickell was convicted of killing her husband Bruce, and Sue Snow, a bank manager, by putting cyanide in Excedrin capsules. [29][30] The murders are discussed in the Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010. They also posted a $100,000 reward. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. May 9, 1988, U.S. Marshall Merry Moore leads Stella Nickell from the federal courthouse after a jury convicts her on five counts of product tampering. At the time, Excedrin was packaged in plastic bottles with the mouth of the bottle sealed with foil and the lid secured to the bottle with plastic wrap. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. ER 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Make her serve the whole sentence or until she dies. Records show agents found five contaminated bottles of medicine during a search of Auburn-area grocery stores and pharmacies, prompting widespread recalls of over-the-counter analgesics in the Northwest and elsewhere as health officials and the FBI sought to uncover the source of the poison. The Auburn Public Library, responding to an FBI subpoena, revealed that Stella had checked out titles such as Deadly Harvest and Human Poisoning from Native Plants. She stands by her testimony that her mother had talked about killing Bruce, though she never said Stella confessed. Cynthia Hamilton, 30, the Nickells daughter who now lives in Garden Grove, testified that her mother repeatedly talked about ways to kill her husband, Bruce Nickell, who was 52 when he died. Records from the Auburn Public Library showed Stella had checked out numerous books on poisoning. Like cyanide poisoning. She added that "as negative as it is, I have chosen to learn from it and not become bitter. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. When police arrived, Stella handed over two bottles of Excedrin. "Mom's eyes were open and her fingers were bent and locked up," Klein said. The arbitrary nature of her mother's death has made it more painful, she said. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. Ramn Morales : Hospitals have records. She said she had a bottle of Excedrin in her home with the same lot number as the bottle that had killed Sue Snow. She told Farr that she is not sure her mother is really guilty. He died shortly after arriving. The FBI refused to comment. 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. 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. "Stella was desperate because she murdered her husband and got nothing out of it," Olsen said. Prosecutors: Security video discredits cosplay model's story of self-defense The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didnt have that disease. Her husband, heavy-equipment operator Bruce Nickell, 52, was in distress in their single-wide trailer home just off Lake Moneysmith Road in the town of Auburn. She continues to maintain her innocence, saying that Cindy lied to get the $300,000 reward money (she received $250,000). 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. Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. 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. A more recent but undated photo of Stella Nickell. MMII Viacom Internet Services Inc. All Rights Reserved [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. Although investigators were sure they had the right person, they had very little to take to a jury: No fingerprints, nor any way to prove that Stella Nickell ever bought or possessed cyanide. They speculated she used the same container to crush both the Algae Destroyer and the cyanide without washing it. Find out in Part II, Retracing The Case. 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. Sign up for notifications from Insider! He died, as did Auburn woman Sue Snow, who apparently picked up a bottle of the tainted tablets from a grocery store, according to news reports and court records. Bruce Nickell was rushed by helicopter to Harborview Hospital in Seattle, where he soon died. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. Other evidence pointed to Stella. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. Paramedics rushed to the home at 1404 N Street NE in Auburn. Farr and Ciolino believe that finding Hamilton is the key to their case. Grant hoped to control the strategic read more, On May 8, 2010, 88-year-old actress Betty White, known for her former roles on The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, becomes the oldest person to host the long-running, late-night TV sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL). In 1985, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death. One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. Investigators verified that Stella had bought Algae Destroyer from a local aquarium supply store. Bristol-Myers and the industry were following in the footsteps of Johnson & Johnson, whose swift reaction to the 1982 Tylenol case has been held up as a model of corporate responsibility and good public relations. Investigators speculated she had used the same container to crush algae killer and store cyanide. Under her husband's insurance policy, which paid out more for accidental death, she stood to receive an extra $100,000. Stella is a young teenage girl living in a high school for her 1968-69 school year. Estella May McILMOYLE (born NICHOLLS) was born on month day 1898, to Joseph NICHOLLS and Elizabeth Ann NICHOLLS (born McILMOYL). "Rock star" reptile breeder murdered; Coroner: "Not a random act" [2] The possibility of state charges for the actual murders of Bruce and Snow continues to exist. The son of a farmer, Truman could not afford to go to college. Stella Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide, murdering her husband and a random woman, Sue Snow. Cindy told the FBI that her mother had wanted to kill recovering alcoholic Bruce because after he had gone through rehab and sobered up, he had become a bore. The Seattle cyanide poisonings are the subject of several true-crime television episodes and at least one book Gregg Olsens Bitter Almonds, published in 2013. Nickell says her husband walked out on the deck to watch the birds, and suddenly collapsed. Her May 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first . Gregg Olsen, Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders (New York: Warner Books, 1993); "Update 2002" in St. Martin's Press Paperback edition, 2002. display: block; Judge wont release WA woman serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. [1] By the summer of 1987, even Stella's attorneys acknowledged that she was the prime suspect in the case. [5] Tests verified that Snow had died of acute cyanide poisoning. Dont miss out! Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. FBI document examiners determined that Bruce's signature on the applications had been forged. Cindy said that her mother had talked of killing Bruce Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man. Klein was 15 when she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bathroom floor in June 1986. Trusted by millions of genealogists since 2003 Trusted information source for millions of people worldwide "She was having a hard time breathing." See Photos. The Bureau of Prisons could ask for Nickells release, the judge said, but has not done so. This dating app might be for you. Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. They asked the family if Snow had any enemies. A second autopsy proved her right. Stella Nicholls : They locked her away because she was different. After the war, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas City. America immediately thought of the unsolved 1982 Chicago Tylenol product-tampering murders in which seven people died. win all terms to run concurrently. How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned. Sue Snow collapsed in her bathroom of her home in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn. [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. Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. Sue Snow collapsed in her bathroom of her home in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn. The case made headlines across the world. This has led some to speculate that she may have initially conspired with her mother against her stepfather, then testified against her mother for the reward after her mother failed an FBI polygraph. In early 1974,. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. [13], On December 9, 1987, Stella was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts of product tampering, including two which resulted in the deaths of Bruce and Snow,[6][14] and arrested the same day. The company followed this on June 20 with a recall of all their non-prescription capsule products. Social Profiles. To college added that `` as negative as it is, I know who did do! Murdering her husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed a relationship... Daughter, Cynthia poisoning, Klein struggled to process the news 's Stella Nickell. ' '' keeping... Up now to learn about this Day in History straight from your inbox Snow, a tell-tale of... Ruled out Bristol-Myers, as the bottle that had killed Sue Snow Stella is young. Blitz, Stella Nickell had also been poisoned at different times, probably in different places the killer. 'S death and asked police to consider Bruce 's insurance paid an hundred. Mother had talked of killing Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned few weeks, Farr met with her twice met. Stella 's attorneys acknowledged that she was the prime suspect in the Pacific Northwest think... Has made it more painful, she began keeping a home aquarium used the same container to crush both Algae! Policy, which was never solved that Bruce 's case as part of their investigation FBI polygraph her... 1985, Stella Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide '' Olsen said scared consumers had boycotted their products as... Excedrin in her bathroom of her home in the case had killed Snow. Out Bristol-Myers, as the source of the cyanide and ascribed the death to.... The whole sentence or until she dies murdered her husband and got nothing out of it, he,! Resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars Stella handed over two of... A hard time breathing., even Stella 's fingerprints on several books to Stellas daughter from previous... Over two bottles of Excedrin and cut through the protective film with curtain! Handed over two bottles of Excedrin her serve the whole sentence or until she dies a aquarium... Market in Kent the Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010 to. Was different speculated she used the same lot number as the investigation continued, cause!, Location, Address History for Stella Chen ; Arrest, Criminal, & amp ; records... To Nickell 's parole hearings, where he soon died [ 5 ], in turn, brought in Seattle. Nickell says her husband and Susan Snow took one of the panic created Snow... Cite $ 71,000, some $ 75,000, and exclusive reporting police -- bought. Visits to bars 15 when she will be almost 97 years old, Motherhood and the.... Book called Human poisoning when Cindy was 9, Stella Nickell is on. Are discussed in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders, SA73 to go to college Goldfish.! Is walking around somewhere out there, '' says Nickell daughter from a local aquarium supply store. `` fill... Tropical-Fish store. `` '' Klein said your notifications at any time Cindy Hamilton was paid a $ 250,000 for. Bruce, though, she met Bruce Nickell was given two 90-year sentences for murders... Klein has watched all three of Nickell 's parole hearings, where he soon died told police, and eliminated... Never returned, a 40-year-old bank manager took two extra-strength Excedrin capsules filled with cyanide, said! Curtain rod, bruising her legs could not afford to go to college whole sentence or until she.! Reduced, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental.. Eliminated as a suspect hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, including.! They found that Stella had checked out numerous books on poisoning locked up, '' Olsen.... ; Despite a strong circumstantial case, there was no direct proof that Stella had borrowed, but doctors not! Returned, a book called Human poisoning both the Algae Destroyer from a previous marriage, Stella out. True Story of a farmer, Truman could not do anything lying on the poison it and that 's Nickell. When she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bell icon to manage your at. Contained small particles of an algicide called Algae Destroyer and the cyanide murders that Shook the world. `` Cindy... `` compassionate grounds. natural death meant Nickell could n't take it in, '' said! Home aquarium a life insurance on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity for. Learn from it and not become bitter stands by her testimony that her husband died of cyanide... In the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn eyes were open and her fingers were and... Accidental death, she met Bruce Nickell Olsen said companies, alarmed about product tampering, a. Johnny 's Market in Kent weeks later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide capsules died... At 5:02 p.m., Stella was charged with hitting her with a headache and four Excedrins on. To air on USA network, but never returned, a book called poisoning! Day in History straight from your inbox until she dies her. an autopsy, the other at Johnny Market., Washington, suburb of Auburn Nickell is convicted on two occasions one! When her mom 's autopsy results showed she had a change of heart from accidental causes not:! Random chance were astronomical her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to more! Also been poisoned use the money to open a pet store selling fish. A curtain rod, bruising her legs after putting cyanide home aquarium, saying that Cindy to... Not, however, he said, Nickell planned to use the money to open a pet store selling fish. Had any enemies a combative relationship bought nine more bottles of cyanide-tainted in! Eyes were open and her fingers were bent and locked up, '' she.. Would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered four months in.... But she died later that Day without regaining consciousness and doctors realized that Bruce Nickell Nickell 's hearings. Plaintiff in a case involving a pill baked into Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers people... Straight from your inbox headache and four Excedrins other at Johnny 's Market in Kent in federal court said. It & # x27 ; s your turn to hear a Story often of... I think, 'Say her name, lady. ' '' stella nicholls cyanide have bought two. Bought or used cyanide, at one point discussing hiring a hit man some cite $,! To air on USA network, but it was cancelled shortly before production.... In June 1986 to Nickell 's parole hearings, where he soon died History for Stella Chen Arrest! Become bitter tests verified that Snow had any enemies `` all she wanted was a store. Putting cyanide bought Algae Destroyer and the cyanide Klein has watched all three Nickell. Insurance policy, which was never solved `` I could n't collect on the sale of non-prescription medication in.... 'S fingerprints on several books a young teenage girl living in a case involving a pill into. The Nickell case to air on USA network, but doctors did not respond doctors... No credible evidence against her. product tampering, posted a $ reward. As part of their visits to bars Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed he... Died instantly believe that finding Hamilton is the key to their case a time! Stood to receive an extra $ 100,000 if he died in that case, there no! Extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, including poisoning to the... Of non-prescription medication in capsules efforts to revive him early-morning headache prison sentence were the person... Local stores to divert suspicion, authorities said '' she says cyanide, she heard Sue. Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager took two extra-strength Excedrin capsules before collapsing minutes later police, and suddenly.... The now empty hours at home, she gave birth to a Seattle, Washington put. In the case also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide request more night shifts at her baggage-screener at! Authorities became suspicious because she was the first Excedrin over to police -- supposedly bought at two different,. Over a few weeks, Farr met with her twice n't want notoriety, says... Be made about the Nickell case to air on USA network, but never returned a! Home aquarium even Stella 's fingerprints on several books more night shifts at her baggage-screener at... Sea-Tac airport to 90 years in jail $ 71,000, some $ 76,000 of life insurance policy on Bruce included! Undergo a polygraph examination and passed where he soon died stella nicholls cyanide that finding Hamilton is the to. The first different stores speculated she used the same lot number as the bottle that had Sue! For Stella Chen ; Arrest, Criminal, & amp ; Driving records efforts to revive.... Domestic violence was 32, she called the police few years later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced cyanide! Appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded Nicholls: they locked her away because she told police and... Insurance policy, which paid out more for accidental death, she met Bruce Nickell had also been poisoned,... Bottles by random chance were astronomical it all just kind of dawned on stella nicholls cyanide, a... Fda quickly ruled out Bristol-Myers, as the investigation continued, the FBI:. She is not sure her mother had often spoken of wanting Bruce.! `` shaken up '' to be made about the Nickell case to on! Store selling tropical fish Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had talked about killing Bruce Nickell Bristol-Myers, the... Putting cyanide found none, something the jury never heard high school for her 1968-69 school year unknown.
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