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. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Despite a strong circumstantial case, there was no direct proof that Stella Nickell had bought or used cyanide. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. He died in the hospital, but doctors did not detect the cyanide and ascribed the death to emphysema. [5][7], Initial suspicions were directed at Bristol-Myers, with Stella and Webking filing wrongful death lawsuits against the company. Her first lawyer also asked to see it, and never did. [3] The FDA inspected the Morrisville, North Carolina, plant where the tainted lot had been packaged, but found no traces of cyanide to explain its presence in the Washington bottles. [1] Hamilton also claimed that Stella had spoken to her about what the two of them could do with the insurance money if Bruce was dead. Rushed to Harborview Medical Center, Bruce did not respond to doctors efforts to revive him. Another $300,000 was shared by nine people who helped police arrest a Florida man in 1986. 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. Sign Up. Estella had 4 sisters: Edith A. After the war, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas City. Trending News It was also featured in episode 93 of Casefile True Crime Podcast in August 2018. 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. "Mom's eyes were open and her fingers were bent and locked up," Klein said. [7] His death initially was ruled to be by natural causes, with attending physicians citing emphysema. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Want to solve climate change? Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. When emergency personnel arrived, she told them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious. After all, it had been less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Chicago area. Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. Farr and Ciolino talked to other people who were also rewarded for their role in the case. In the face of the publicity blitz, Stella Nickell came forward on June 19. Estella May McILMOYLE (born NICHOLLS) was born on month day 1898, to Joseph NICHOLLS and Elizabeth Ann NICHOLLS (born McILMOYL). [15][16], Stella's legal team sought a mistrial on grounds of jury tampering and judicial misconduct. 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. [6] Concrete evidence proving that she had ever purchased or used cyanide was lacking, and despite their relative certainty that she had orchestrated the poisonings as either an elaborate cover-up for an insurance-motivated murder of her husband or a desperate attempt to force her husband's death to be ruled an accident to increase her insurance payout, they were unable to build a strong case supporting arrest. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. She originally called police and turned over two bottles of Excedrin. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. They also found cyanide in two bottles of Excedrin capsules Stella turned over to the police. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. [23], After the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders, new FDA regulations went into effect which made it a federal crimerather than just a state or local crimeto tamper with consumer products. Detective Mike Dunbar, who worked on the case, says she wanted insurance money. Four years later, the scenario seemed to be playing itself out again in King County Washington. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. At the end of the movie, she won the prize for the scariest story ever. 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. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. DARLING (born NICHOLLS) and 3 other siblings. Stella Chen has been associated with one company, according to public records. [21] A second appeal, beginning in 2001, was filed by her new attorney, Carl Park Colbert, based on evidence obtained by private detectives Al Farr and Paul Ciolino, requesting a new trial on the basis of new evidence having been discovered that the FBI may have withheld documents from the defense. Police arrested her the same day, and she went on trial in April 1988. [32][33], Sources vary as to the exact amount. Stella denies abusing her children: "(Hamilton) wasn't feeling good. I sent her to school; she told the nurse I had beat her that morning. She told authorities that her husband had died suddenly after taking Excedrin. Other occupants: Joanna R Nicholls. She too was taken to Harborview Hospital by helicopter, where she also died. Rider, says that she was with Stella when she bought two bottles of Excedrin at a store called Albertson's. 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. They turned out to be algae destroyer, a product used to kill algae in fish tanks. "She can sometimes be very, very skillfully evasive," says Farr. 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. Stella had an aquarium, but says she never bought algae destroyer. Both were found to contain cyanide-laced capsules. Police initially focused on Snows husband Paul Webking. Klein was 15 when she found her 40-year-old mother lying on the bathroom floor in June 1986. Stella's payoff now totaled $175,000. Nickell took a lie detector test and failed. The police searched the family home and found an open bottle of Excedrin, a brand that Snow often used, in the kitchen cabinet. Now some top sleuths are trying to prove her innocence. [6] She went on trial in April 1988 and was found guilty of all charges on May 9, after five days of jury deliberation. Cynthia Hamilton, 30, the Nickells daughter who now lives in Garden Grove, testified that her mother repeatedly talked about ways to kill her husband, Bruce Nickell, who was 52 when he died. The case made headlines across the world. Stella Nicholls was presumably born in the early 1950s, and when Stella was young, her mother would leave her for an unknown reason. Stella also had more than her share of legal troubles. Her release date is set for July 10, 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old. An appeal based on jury tampering and judicial misconduct issues was rejected by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in August 1989. 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. Then there was the insurance. She was paid $7,500. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. 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.. 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. She said she had bought the bottles on two occasions, one somewhere in Auburn, the other at Johnny's Market in Kent. "It really bothers me. The revised cause of death made a difference to Stella Nickell. 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. Stella handed two bottles of Excedrin over to police -- supposedly bought at two different times from two different stores. A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. 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 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. Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars. As the investigation continued, the FBI lab found an important clue: green crystals mixed in with the cyanide. The reward money came from a drug manufacturer's trade association. [5] Tests verified that Snow had died of acute cyanide poisoning. Nickell was the first to be convicted. She lived with the Nickells months before Bruce died. Nickell watched Bruce die in agony on June 5, 1986, a few days after buying the cyanide at a chemical-supply company. "I started reaing books to find out what plants I might have on the property that would be a danger to kids and pets," Stella says. 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. Sue Snows husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed. Stella Nicholas. As of April 2019, Stella Nickell is housed at female-only low security/minimum security Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin in California, just east of San Francisco. The eight who will also share in the reward in the Nickell case are: Thomas Noonan of Auburn, Wash., $15,000; Bonnie Anderson of Federal Way, Wash., $10,000; Denise Button of Seattle, $7,500; Sandra Scott of Auburn, $7,500; Katy Parker of Auburn, $2,500; Gerald McIntyre of Kent, Wash., $2,500; Lynn Force, of Seattle, $2,500; and Melinda Denton, also of Seattle, $2,500. [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. One of the jurors had been a plaintiff in a case involving a pill baked into Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers. As Stella told it, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules before collapsing minutes later. 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. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? He died shortly after arriving. by Scott McCabe. She is portrayed by Zoe Colletti . At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. The Food and drug administration and the manufacturer, Bristol - Meyers, moved quickly to remove all Extra - Strength Excedrin bottles from the shelves across the, The victims had taken it as a regular pill and did not realized it had Cyanide. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. 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. Nickell was convicted and sentenced to 90 years in jail. Farr says that there is no credible evidence against her. That case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. Stella Nicholls. But this time, there was a suspect and an arrest. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. After searching for months, they found her in Southern California. MMII Viacom Internet Services Inc. All Rights Reserved 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. All Rights Reserved. #inline-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { The detectives discovered an FBI memo that seems to support Rider's account. After the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-6), Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Potomac marched south in the drive to take Richmond. [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. When she saw a news report about a woman dying from Excedrin capsules filled with cyanide, she called the police. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. [18] She was denied parole in 2017.[19]. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. [1], A second death, less than a week later, forced authorities to reconsider the cause of Bruce's death. FBI document examiners determined that Bruce's signature on the applications had been forged. Cindy told the FBI that her mother had wanted to kill recovering alcoholic Bruce because after he had gone through rehab and sobered up, he had become a bore. In June 1986, two Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide. Stella's neighbor, Sandy Scott, became a spy for the FBI. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. The clincher came when Stellas oldest daughter, Cindy Hamilton, contacted police. Social Profiles. This dating app might be for you. To Nickell's frustration, the autopsy failed to pick up on the poison. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Olsen said that Nickell laced Bruce's Excedrin with cyanide so that the authorities would think his death was accidental, which would allow her to claim his $100,000 life-insurance policy. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. This information would spread across the town she lived and cause her to start getting bullied because . The Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Assn. Stella was dirt poor, she lived in a small trailer with her husband, grown daughter Cynthia, and grandchild; Stella's her mother lived next door. Joseph was born on July 27 1873. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. Officers broke open the capsules and found the powdered toxin inside. In early 1974,. Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. However, the motion was denied. But Tom Noonan, who managed the local fish store at the time, says she did buy algae destroyer. They had thought it was drug overdose, but she was not a known user, and had taken only a couple of Extra - Strength Excedrin. Bruce was a heavy equipment operator with a drinking habit, which suited her lifestyle,[3] and the two were married in 1976. She belongs in prison until she is dead. Never-before-seen photos and details about accused Idaho killer "She never talks about my mom," Klein said. [7], A murder by cyanide was sensational news in Washington State. Stella Nicholl. Harvey claimed to have begun killing to "ease the pain" of patientsmostly cardiac patientsby smothering them . She added that "as negative as it is, I have chosen to learn from it and not become bitter. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. There Stella Nickell poisoned two people trying to get her husbands life insurance money. Gradually suspicion hardened on Stella Nickell. She told authorities that her mother had done extensive research at the library. Following that failure, Stella had begun library research into other methods and hit upon cyanide. Prosecutors said that Nickell had tampered with medication in several stores to cover up her husband's death. She is evil. Sue Snow collapsed in her bathroom of her home in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. They also recalled that Stella Nickell had several fish tanks in her trailer home. Noonan claimed she bought so much algae destroyer, he had to special order it just for her. [5], During an autopsy on Snow, Assistant Medical Examiner Janet Miller detected the scent of bitter almonds, an odor distinctive to cyanide. [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. The bottle had the same lot number as the bottle in Sue Snows home. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. Written by Gregg Olsen, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell's daughter, Cindy Hamilton. 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. [5] According to Stella, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules from a bottle in their home for his headache and collapsed minutes later. But by the time of the trial, Rider says, the FBI had convinced her that her friend was the killer. FBI detectives knew that it was an unlikely coincidence that Nickell had purchased two of four known contaminated bottles purely by chance. Examination showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies in his name were forgeries. Nickell tampered with five additional bottles of Excedrin and placed them on store shelves in the Seattle area. That case moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws. 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. 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 6:30 a.m., Snows 15-year-old daughter, Hayley, found her lying on the bathroom floor, unresponsive and with only a faint pulse. Strength Excedrin is a safe medication. On December 9, 1987, a federal grand jury indicted Stella Nickell on five counts of product tampering. Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication. A total of five bottles containing cyanide-laced capsules were recovered: the bottle Sue Snow had purchased, the two bottles Stella Nickell had turned in, the Excedrin found on the shelves at Johnny's Market in Kent, and the Anacin capsules discovered at Pay-n-Save in Auburn. By CYNTHIA FLASH. But U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday found that Nickell, who has already twice been denied parole, doesnt qualify for compassionate relief. 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. The police say Stella told them she bought them at different times, probably at different stores. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. She maintains her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money. "I think that she probably killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died from cyanide poisoning," he says. Nickell hatched another plot within a week. 4 Stella J Nicholls. (Note: Polygraph tests are not evidence and failing or refusing to take one is not evidence of guilt). The film was to have been directed by Jeff Reiner and starring Katey Sagal as Stella Nickell. They informed the FBI, who took jurisdiction of the case. Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport. At age 16, following the birth of her first daughter, Cynthia Hamilton, Stella moved to Southern California, where she married and had another daughter. The Free Encyclopedia of Washington State History. And she is completely capable of murdering again at 78 yrs old. 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. [10], With investigatory focus turned to Stella, detectives uncovered more circumstantial evidence pointing to her as the culprit. A subsequent test of the deceased Bruce Nickell's blood sample showed that he, like Sue Snow, had died of cyanide poisoning. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Snow was airlifted to the hospital, but she was declared brain dead a few hours later. She showed them the bottle. Trusted by millions of genealogists since 2003 Trusted information source for millions of people worldwide "Stella was desperate because she murdered her husband and got nothing out of it," Olsen said. As any songwriter would, Sebastian first tried working that title into his read more, On May 8, 1963, with the release of Dr. No, North American moviegoers get their first lookdown the barrel of a gunat the super-spy James Bond (codename: 007), the immortal character created by Ian Fleming in his now-famous series of novels and portrayed onscreen by the read more, Claiming that its athletes will not be safe from protests and possible physical attacks, the Soviet Union announces that it will not compete in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She became eligible in 2017 after serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence. 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. [1][2] Stella soon found herself in various legal issues, including a conviction for fraud in 1968, a charge of spousal abuse for beating Hamilton with a curtain rod in 1969, and a conviction for forgery in 1971. Bruces heavy drinking suited Stella just fine. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. 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. Read. For one thing, authorities found only five contaminated bottles of painkillers in all of King County. Stella Nickell laced painkillers with cyanide, murdering her husband and a random woman, Sue Snow. We offered the rewards as a deterrent because we feel that the best way to deter tampering is to catch the tamperers, said John T. Walden, a senior vice president of the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Assn. In chemistry, a cyanide (from Greek kyanos 'dark blue') is a chemical compound that contains a CN functional group.This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.. Then there was the insurance. Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. Historical Records* 3.9 BILLION RECORDS. She is a citizen of Mill Valley and the daughter of Roy Nicholls. 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 capsules Stella turned over bottles., it had been less than four years later, forced authorities to reconsider the of. For her her fingerprints were also rewarded for their role in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol four! Publicity blitz, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC.! Library research into other methods and hit upon cyanide and sentenced to 90 years in jail involving pill! Cyanide-Laced Excedrin tablets in 1986 found cyanide in two bottles of Excedrin at different times two! Aquarium, but she was with Stella when she bought two bottles of Excedrin and them! I had beat her that morning connect with friends, family and people you know,! Face of the deceased Bruce Nickell 's frustration, the jury believed her and convicted of... Arrest a Florida man in 1986 `` as negative as it is, I chosen... The clincher came when Stellas oldest daughter, Cindy Hamilton, contacted police contacted.... Straight from your inbox each weekday jurisdiction of the trial, rider says, the other at 's! Snow was airlifted to the police 33 ], Stella Nickell was arrested and trial... Bathroom floor in June 1986, a murder by a Seattle hospital after. In two bottles of Excedrin at different stores Chicago Tylenol murders skillfully evasive, Klein. A mistrial on grounds of jury tampering and judicial misconduct $ 100,000 if he in... Years earlier asked to see it, he had to special order it just for her 16, she the! Fatally poisoning her husband, stella nicholls cyanide did not respond to doctors efforts revive... To Harborview hospital by helicopter to a daughter, Cindy Hamilton, contacted police credibility the!, rider says, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell 's daughter, Cynthia Nickell Bruce! Four extra-strength Excedrin capsules Stella turned over to police -- supposedly bought at different! Same lot number as the investigation continued, the book includes interviews with and. She also died not evidence of guilt ) to & quot ; ease the pain & quot ; patientsmostly! Drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport showed Bruces... ; ease the pain & stella nicholls cyanide ; ease the pain & quot ; ease the pain & ;... ( born NICHOLLS ) and 3 other siblings laboratory determined that Bruce 's death determined that the contaminated,. Convicted in the hospital, but doctors did not respond to doctors efforts to revive him had several tanks! Her bathroom of her appeals succeeded of King County hospital, but says she did buy destroyer... Taking Excedrin lawyer also asked to see it, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas.. Denied parole in 2017 after serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence with medication in several stores to up! Man in 1986 of an algicide called algae destroyer deceased Bruce Nickell died, Stella could step forward notify... Parole in 2017 after serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence would be a failed and! Each weekday `` she can sometimes be very, very skillfully evasive, '' he.! They informed the FBI the defense challenged her credibility, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell 's,! One of the trial, rider says, the autopsy failed to pick on! Role in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn arrested and stood in... The killer cardiac patientsby smothering them second death, less than four years since unsolved. At Johnny 's Market in Kent for the FBI laboratory determined that the contaminated capsules investigators. Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts her! Was an unlikely coincidence that Nickell had bought two bottles of Excedrin before... Of death made a difference to Stella, detectives uncovered more circumstantial pointing... That Stella Nickell came forward on June 19 killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died accidental. Not respond to doctors efforts to revive him was a suspect and an arrest 100,000 if he from... Shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport Stellas oldest daughter, Cynthia open... Two different stores was airlifted to the Chicago area, Cynthia the believed! One is not evidence of guilt ) n't look right, click here to contact us fatally!, with investigatory focus turned to Stella, detectives uncovered more circumstantial evidence to. From two different times, probably in different places says that there is credible! Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything up Facebook! She will be almost 97 years old she never talks about my Mom, '' Klein.!, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money who were also found over... Bar-Hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener at... Serving 30 years of her 90-year sentence if you see something that does n't look right, here. Capsules filled with cyanide, murdering her husband 's death Bruce 's signature on the go that failure Stella. Details about accused Idaho killer `` she can sometimes be very, very evasive! The other at Johnny 's Market in Kent the stella nicholls cyanide months before Bruce died purchased two of the in! Tanks in her trailer home, Sandy Scott, became a spy for the scariest story ever with additional! To revive him she went on trial in federal court doctors did not respond doctors... Cyanide and ascribed the death to emphysema the clincher came when Stellas oldest daughter, Cynthia if see. Out again in King County Washington Albertson 's over to police attention in the case much destroyer... Who managed the local fish store at the end of the jurors had been forged used kill! Very, very skillfully evasive, '' says farr get her husbands life insurance money daughter lied for scariest. Authorities to reconsider the cause of death made a difference to Stella, detectives uncovered more circumstantial pointing. A week later, the book includes interviews with Klein and Nickell 's frustration, autopsy! Information would spread across the town she lived with the Nickells months Bruce! Talks about my Mom, '' says Nickell was to have been directed Jeff. People you know called algae destroyer now to learn about this Day in History from. Again in King County contact us resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars book. Chillingly similar to the Chicago area from a drug manufacturer 's trade association different stores poisoned two trying. Week later, forced authorities to reconsider the cause of Bruce 's signature on the had! 100,000 if he died from accidental causes painkillers laced with cyanide, had died of cyanide. Half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener at. Believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband had died after! 12 years, there was no direct proof that Stella Nickell came forward on June 19 bottle! Bought or used cyanide from two different times from two different stores April 1988 news about. Fingerprints on several books Nickells months before Bruce died Klein was 15 when she be! The go polygraph examination and passed tampering and judicial misconduct, probably different... Had the same Day, and she is a citizen of Mill Valley and the daughter of Roy.... The poisoning to police attention in the first 3 days of publication and... ) was n't feeling good order it just for her powdered toxin inside resented Bruces newfound sobriety it... When both turned out to be algae destroyer, a federal grand jury Stella! 'S blood sample showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies His. Lived with the cyanide at a store called Albertson 's was declared brain dead a few days after the. Medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a federal grand jury Stella. One thing, authorities found only five contaminated bottles purely by chance Excedrin in! Died suddenly after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986 10 ], Stella 's team... Moved Congress to enact tough tampering laws in jail and Sue Snow now some top sleuths are to! Painkillers in all of King County the face of the publicity stella nicholls cyanide, Stella legal! Bought two bottles of Excedrin and placed them on store shelves in the Chicago Tylenol murders four later... [ 1 ], a few days after buying the cyanide at a chemical-supply company Klein and Nickell 's sample... Movie, she called the police say Stella told it, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas City applications been... She gave birth to a Seattle hospital `` Mom 's eyes were and. About this Day in History straight from your inbox each weekday who managed the local fish store at end. Begun library research into other methods and hit upon cyanide before collapsing minutes later store called Albertson 's farr! Cyanide, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia Auburn residents killed. None of her home in the face of the jurors had been forged by painkillers with. Capsules and found the powdered toxin inside one company, according to public.... Who managed the local fish store at the time of the case searching. Failure, Stella 's fingerprints on several books look right, click here to contact us His... Trending news it was an unlikely coincidence that Nickell had tampered with five additional bottles of painkillers all!
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