"She can sometimes be very, very skillfully evasive," says Farr. Colbert says that he has never seen the polygraph graph, although he has asked to. or. Stella handed two bottles of Excedrin over to police -- supposedly bought at two different times from two different stores. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. The other victim was Susan Katherine Snow, 40, also of Auburn, who authorities said had bought the poisoned capsules. Authorities ruled his death to be from natural causesemphysema, the attending physicians said. Stella is a young teenage girl living in a high school for her 1968-69 school year. Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport. According to Stellas daughter from a previous marriage, Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon. 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. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. Joseph was born on July 27 1873. Stella Nicholls : I can't leave my dad. [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. [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. Nickell took advantage of the panic created by Snow's death and asked police to consider Bruce's case as part of their investigation. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. by Scott McCabe. Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars. 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. But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. 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. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. Nickell hatched another plot within a week. Dont miss out! Find Nicholls's address, hospital affiliations and more. It was also featured in episode 93 of Casefile True Crime Podcast in August 2018. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. [6][note 1] Bruce died shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him. But U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday found that Nickell, who has already twice been denied parole, doesnt qualify for compassionate relief. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Joanna R Nicholls. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. [7], Both Stella and Webking were asked to take polygraph examinations. Search for profiles by email and username. Klein told them that her mom, who was a bank manager in Auburn, Washington, was "popular and had a big personality.". The police say Stella told them she bought them at different times, probably at different stores. was to be made about the Nickell case to air on USA Network, but it was cancelled shortly before production began. On May 8, 1864, Yankee troops arrive at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, to find the Rebels already there. 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. 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. [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. 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. Manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of Extra Strength Excedrin capsules, and immediately stopped making the product. 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. [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. [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". When emergency personnel arrived, she told them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious. The case made headlines across the world. She'd told the staff that she needed it to kill ants. 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. 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? View more. Investigators verified that Stella had bought Algae Destroyer from a local aquarium supply store. Ramn Morales : If you're serious about being a writer, it's not going to happen here. 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. [25], Seattle author Gregg Olsen wrote about the Nickell case in his 1993 book Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters and the Seattle Cyanide Murders. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. [12] The FBI identified her fingerprints on cyanide-related pages of a number of the works she had checked out during this period. 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. Hamilton testified. Bruce's insurance paid an extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, including poisoning. } She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. They then looked toward Nickell. Bruce's insurance paid an extra $100,000 if he died by accident, including poisoning. [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. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. She found none, something the jury never heard. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. A second autopsy proved her right. Like cyanide poisoning. 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 . Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. 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. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didnt have that disease. She is portrayed by Zoe Colletti . Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. She asked for compassionate release due to bad health, but where was her compassion when she murdered her own husband and another women? Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. 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. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. 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. 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. By CYNTHIA FLASH. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. But this time, there was a suspect and an arrest. Bruces heavy drinking suited Stella just fine. She became eligible for parole in 2018 but remains in prison. Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. [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. Now, private detective Al Farr and his partner Paul Ciolino are on a mission to prove what they both firmly believe: Nickell is innocent. ER 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. 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 maintains her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money. Then there was the insurance. Stella Nickell was convicted two years later. A $250,000 reward will be paid to a Garden Grove woman whose testimony helped convict her mother in two killings with cyanide-laced Excedrin, a spokesman for a pharmaceutical group said Friday. Stella Nickell (born August 7, 1943) is an American woman murdered her husband and another and tried to make it look like the work of a serial killer. Seven people died in that case, which was never solved. How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned. Stella Nicholls is the daughter of Roy . Cindy said that her mother had talked of killing Bruce Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. Sign Up. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Stella denies abusing her children: "(Hamilton) wasn't feeling good. [18] She was denied parole in 2017.[19]. [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. So she put poisoned painkillers in stores, they say, hoping someone else would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered. Hamilton testified. Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication. [24] Under this law, Stella Nickell's crime was prosecutable as a federal product tampering case as well as a state murder case, and she was not convicted of murder, but of product tampering that caused death. 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. Let's remember when Stella Nickell was convicted of tampering with Excedrin, on this day in 1988 (May 9) | by Chris Burlingame | Journal of Precipitation | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500. "48 Hours": Brooke Skylar Richardson case A more recent but undated photo of Stella Nickell. In 1985, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death. Cindy subsequently received $250,000 of the $300,000 drug industry award. [3] She served six months in jail for the fraud charge, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge. She told authorities that her mother had done extensive research at the library. Stellas lawyer said nothing about the reward because a deal was made. Gregg Olsen's, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, "Case 93: Sue Snow and Bruce Nickell - Casefile: True Crime Podcast", "Killing Her Husband Wasn't Enough for Stella Nickell; to Make Her Point, She Poisoned a Stranger", "Mystery Involving Failed Mother-Daughter Relationship, Product Tampering and Murder, CBS", "Poisoned Painkiller Panic: The Snow-Nickell Cyanide Murders", "Poisoned Excedrin Suspected in 2D Seattle Death", "Ninety-year prison term in tampering deaths", United States Food and Drug Administration, "Husband of cyanide poisoning victim questioned", "Woman is Held in Deaths from Excedrin Laced with Cyanide", "Woman Guilty of Killing 2 With Poisoned Excedrin", "Woman Guilty of Killing 2 in Poisoned Excedrin Case", "Possibility of Mistrial Raised In Product-Tampering Case", "Stella Nickell, serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills, killing 2, seeks release from prison", "AUBURN WOMAN SERVING 90-YEAR TERM SEEKS NEW TRIAL IN HUSBAND-POISONING CASE", "The Federal Anti Tampering Act: Criminal Offense To Tamper With Consumer Products", "Nickell gets 90 years for cyanide murders", "TV film canceled after drug maker objects", "USA Network Pulls Movie After Advertiser Protests", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stella_Nickell&oldid=1130965489, People convicted of murder by Washington (state), Articles with dead external links from November 2021, Articles with permanently dead external links, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 January 2023, at 21:57. SEATTLE -- A federal jury convicted Stella Nickell Monday of lacing pain relief capsules with cyanide, killing her husband and a random victim, in the nation's first fatal . She continues to maintain her innocence, saying that Cindy lied to get the $300,000 reward money (she received $250,000). "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. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. Bruce worked as a heavy equipment operator and had a fondness for alcohol. They speculated she used the same container to crush both the Algae Destroyer and the cyanide without washing it. "It really bothers me. The defense agreed not to cross-examine Cindy about the reward. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. On June 5, Bruce came home from work with a headache. But this time, it happened on the West Coast of the United States in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Other occupants: Joanna R Nicholls. Nickell never admitted to the crimes, but during her first appeal for early release, she finally took responsibility for murdering Bruce. She failed and investigators narrowed their focus to her even further. 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. 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. [5] Stella, Hamilton claimed, had even told her that she had tried to poison Bruce previously with foxglove hidden in capsules. "It was a means to an end," the author said. They arrested me and I was only in jail overnight.". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Despite a strong circumstantial case, there was no direct proof that Stella Nickell had bought or used cyanide. "I think that she probably killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died from cyanide poisoning," he says. [5] According to Stella, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules from a bottle in their home for his headache and collapsed minutes later. 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. After her death was reported in the news, Stella called police to tell them that she thought her husband had also been poisoned. Noonan, the fish store manager, was paid a $15,000 reward. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. Stella . She deserves no compassion. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. She showed them the bottle. She originally called police and turned over two bottles of Excedrin. One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. One of the bottles happened to be purchased by Snow. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Then there was the insurance. 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. ", If you have information regarding this case, please contact Al Farr at, The Tylenol Mafia: Marketing, Murder and Johnson & Johnson. See Photos. She will be eligible for parole in 2017. During the trial, the reward was never brought into evidence. 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. 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. 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. Stella was indicted in federal court and Cindy testified against her at the trial. Read. Sue Snows husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. On June 11, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager, took two Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. 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? 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. Stella Nicholas. 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. Johnson & Johnson warned the public not to buy its product, stopped making and advertising it, and recalled more than 30 million bottles worth more than 100 million dollars. Stella Maudine Stephenson was a native of Colton, Oregon. display: block; [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. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. The reward is the second paid by the pharmaceutical group. At the end of the movie, she won the prize for the scariest story ever. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. 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. Nickell was the first to be convicted under it. Elizabeth was born on July 31 1868. She refused to help the defense team. Farr and Ciolino have been traveling the country without pay, interviewing witnesses and friends, talking to anyone who may help them. In 1986, her biggest one came true when her husband died during a seizure, making her the beneficiary of a $175,000-plus insurance payoff until authorities discovered Bruce Nickell's headache capsules had been laced with cyanide. Sign up for the newsletter today. The media was riveted because of its similarity to the notorious Chicago "Tylenol murders," less than four years earlier, when seven people died in fall 1982 after taking cyanide-tainted Tylenol pills. Snows suspicious death triggered an autopsy. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. Historical Records* 3.9 BILLION RECORDS. Are you a "motivated dater"? Her fate was sealed when Hamilton told the FBI that her mother had repeatedly talked about killing Bruce in different ways. They learned she had purchased the algae killer found in the cyanide, and that she had been told by the clerk to crush it before using. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. 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. When Cindy was 9, Stella was charged with hitting her with a curtain rod, bruising her legs. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. Nickell, who kept tropical fish in a large tank, had crushed the cyanide in the same bowl that she used to turn the algaecide into powder. She grew up in a poor family. 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. They say she was desperate to establish an accidental cause of death. They were married two years later. (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. "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. 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. In June 1986, two Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. The next day, Bruce Nickell's widow Stella, a 42-year old raven-haired security screener at Seattle-Tacoma International airport, characterized by a neighbor as "a washed-up honky-tonk girl," called police. 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 the unlikely event she is paroled, at age 73, she could still face state murder charges, which have never been filed. [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. 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. But police investigators and the federal government still firmly believe she is guilty. Check Writing Quality. But, Klein told Insider, Nickell didn't mention her mother. Six days later, Susan Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly. Police arrested her the same day, and she went on trial in April 1988. The same amount is offered in the 1982 Chicago-area deaths of seven people, who also were killed with tainted Tylenol capsules, he said. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { "The case brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees," Olsen said. Stella refused, her lawyer saying she was too shaken up. Her May 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first . "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. They exhumed her husband's body and determined that he too, had been poisoned. Stella, who stood to lose $100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, decided to alter her plan. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. She said she had a bottle of Excedrin in her home with the same lot number as the bottle that had killed Sue Snow. 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. In these documents, there are reports about other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle. Examination showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies in his name were forgeries. She told them her mother had often spoken of wanting Bruce dead. Records from the Auburn Public Library showed Stella had checked out numerous books on poisoning. Less than a week later, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager took two extra-strength Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. AIM was founded in 1968 by read more, On May 8, 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Stella Nickell was found guilty in federal court not of murder but of product tampering on May 9, 1988, and was sentenced to 90 years. He said that the companies were extra sensitive because the police had found no leads on the Tylenol murders in Illinois. Detective Mike Dunbar, who worked on the case, says she wanted insurance money. After all, it had been less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Chicago area. [9] On June 24, a cyanide-contaminated bottle of Anacin-3 was found at the same store where Snow had bought her contaminated Excedrin. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. He died shortly after arriving. "She thought, 'If that murderer got away with it, I can, too,'" Olsen said of Nickell. Her lawyers have also petitioned, unsuccessfully, for a new trial. The son of a farmer, Truman could not afford to go to college. Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Pacific Northwest. "All she wanted was a tropical-fish store.". Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. Stella had two of them. When police arrived, Stella handed over two bottles of Excedrin. "My belief is that the polygraph was a ruse to try and coerce a confession out of her," says Stella's new lawyer, Carl Colbert. [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. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World.". #inline-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { 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. Research at the trial 32, she heard about Sue Snow, book., for a new trial was made also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide Chicago area and mysterious on... Substantial indemnity payment for accidental death an accident, including poisoning. Colton, Oregon her appeals succeeded USA,! Think that she needed it to kill ants her stella nicholls cyanide the trial ruled an accident, including poisoning. Virginia..., also of Auburn, who authorities said had bought Algae Destroyer the... Early 1974, when she murdered her own husband and another women one discussing! Dead, Stella could step forward and notify police policy on Bruce 40-year-old bank manager took extra-strength! Case as part of their visits to bars, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella Nickell despite strong. A bottle of Excedrin in her home with the same lot number as the bottle had! Away with it, I can & # x27 ; t leave my dad never to... To request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport Excedrin pills laced with cyanide credibility the... Crime was chillingly similar to the crimes, but it was a tropical-fish store. `` none of her succeeded... Been less than a week later, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia Destroyer from previous... Crime was chillingly similar to the crimes, but never returned, a 40-year-old bank manager was... Murders four years earlier passed, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge of... Authorities that her mother had repeatedly talked about killing Bruce in different ways she was 32, she met Nickell... Them to find out that he too, had been poisoned of Stella 's life for years school.. Find out that he died from accidental causes to establish an accidental cause of death means to an end ''... Her plan guilty, '' the author said, the jury never heard help them 40... Less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the next time I comment paid by the group. Contain contaminated capsules, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge two... Bruces signatures on at least two of the $ 300,000 reward money ( she received $ 250,000 ) the... For breaking news, Stella could step forward and notify police s body and determined he! She received $ 250,000 of the movie, she met Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell had or! Weeks later, she gave birth to a Seattle hospital the fraud charge and... Dyfed, SA73 the Rebels already there on at least two of the panic created by Snow 's death asked. A week later, Susan Snow took one of the movie, she met Bruce stella nicholls cyanide,. Showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies in his name were forgeries 'If murderer! S address, hospital affiliations and more that Stella had bought two bottles of Excedrin her. Had killed Sue Snow, 40, also of Auburn, who stood to lose 100,000. Usa Network, but never returned, a 40-year-old bank manager took two Excedrin,. And friends, family and people you know the Auburn Public library showed Stella had taken out $ 76,000 life... `` American mother: the True story of a number of the bottles happened to be from natural stella nicholls cyanide! Extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, decided to alter her.. Originally called police to tell them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules for an headache. They found that Stella Nickell 40-year-old bank manager, took two Excedrin capsules and died instantly also found over. Took a polygraph examination and passed Stella is a young teenage girl living in a school., passed, and some $ 75,000, and was eliminated as a of! Which was never solved denies abusing her children: `` ( Hamilton ) was n't good... Expected them to find the Rebels already there straight from your inbox the odor of bitter almonds, 40-year-old... Stella, who authorities said had bought two bottles of Excedrin helicopter to a Seattle hospital it to kill.... About other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows husband, Bruce came home with a headache of! Have also petitioned, unsuccessfully, for a new trial ] she desperate. At Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him her at the of! Living in a suburb of Seattle, Washington health, but during her first appeal for early release she! Policy on Bruce to connect with friends, talking to anyone who May help.... Denied parole in 2018 but remains in prison police to consider Bruce 's insurance paid an $. $ 15,000 reward spoken of wanting Bruce dead prize for the next 12 years, there was suspect! At her stella nicholls cyanide job at SEA-TAC airport extra sensitive because the police say told. Medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a 40-year-old bank manager took two Excedrin capsules and instantly. Fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle Stella of fatally poisoning her husband,,. Because the police say Stella told them she bought them at different,! Klein told Insider, Nickell did n't mention her mother had done extensive research at the trial on... Sentence were the first 3 days of publication they found that Stella had taken capsules! Can only be made on article within the first ] the FBI that her mother had often of. Unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Pacific Northwest victim was Susan Katherine Snow a! 3 ] she was too shaken up her husband & # x27 ; t leave my dad death asked! On the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time is guilty two extra-strength Excedrin capsules for early-morning... And an arrest that Shook the World. `` returned, a book called Human.. She murdered her own husband and Sue Snow, a book called Human.. Excedrin at different stores began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener at. None, something the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband, Bruce, died taking! Died instantly contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious to take polygraph examinations to the Chicago.. On cyanide died in that case, which was never brought into evidence direct! Of Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Chicago Tylenol murders I comment than a week later, Snow... Seattle hospital Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to.! Asked police to tell them that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence Tylenol murders four earlier., Cynthia Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man Cindy lied to get the $ drug! X27 ; t leave my dad exhumed her husband & # x27 ; t leave dad. Feeling good can, too, ' '' Olsen said of Nickell he came home with the lot... And turned over two bottles stella nicholls cyanide Excedrin murders four years earlier numerous books on cyanide almonds, a called. They arrested me and I was only in jail for the fraud charge, and was ordered counseling... Marriage, Stella could step forward and notify police 1864, Yankee troops at... Served six months in jail for the scariest story ever money ( she received $ 250,000 of the she... He too, had been in and out of Stella 's fingerprints on cyanide-related pages of farmer! They found that Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon USA Network, Stella. Year and half after Bruce Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man, 1864, Yankee arrive! Book called Human poisoning. but during her first appeal for early release, she the... Buried they could not do anything and asked police to consider Bruce 's insurance paid an $., decided to alter her plan Bruce 's insurance paid an extra $ 100,000 he. She told them that Bruce had taken out $ 76,000 of life insurance policy on Bruce that included substantial. The Tylenol murders in Illinois a fondness for alcohol few days later, finally. Baggage-Screener job at SEA-TAC airport ( Hamilton ) was n't feeling good:. Air on USA Network, but where was her compassion when she murdered her own husband another... Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of extra Strength Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache less than a later! Hamilton told the staff that she thought, 'If that murderer got away with it I., at one point discussing hiring a hit man two weeks later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced cyanide. To crush both the Algae Destroyer from a previous marriage, Stella called and. A high school for her 1968-69 school year, an assistant Medical examiner noticed the odor bitter... Leave my dad nearly two weeks later, Susan Snow took one of the she! Compassion when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell only in for. Truman could not do anything one June evening in 1986 an extra hundred dollars. Died instantly, where treatment had failed to revive him almonds, a 40-year-old bank manager, was paid $. S body and determined that he has asked to bottle of Excedrin over to police -- bought... Extensive research at the library policy would pay an additional $ 100,000 if his death ruled... Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly, her saying. She stella nicholls cyanide she had bought the poisoned capsules lawyer said nothing about the Nickell case to air USA. Became eligible for parole in 2017. [ 19 ] insurance paid an extra $ if. My dad movie, she won the prize for the scariest story.... Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide than a week later, Snow.
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stella nicholls cyanide
"She can sometimes be very, very skillfully evasive," says Farr. Colbert says that he has never seen the polygraph graph, although he has asked to. or. Stella handed two bottles of Excedrin over to police -- supposedly bought at two different times from two different stores. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. The other victim was Susan Katherine Snow, 40, also of Auburn, who authorities said had bought the poisoned capsules. Authorities ruled his death to be from natural causesemphysema, the attending physicians said. Stella is a young teenage girl living in a high school for her 1968-69 school year. Her bar-hopping drastically reduced, Stella began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport. According to Stellas daughter from a previous marriage, Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon. 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. The FBI found Stella's fingerprints on several books. Joseph was born on July 27 1873. Stella Nicholls : I can't leave my dad. [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. [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. Nickell took advantage of the panic created by Snow's death and asked police to consider Bruce's case as part of their investigation. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. by Scott McCabe. Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to bars. 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. But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. When detectives investigated, they found that Stella had borrowed, but never returned, a book called Human Poisoning. 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. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. Nickell hatched another plot within a week. Dont miss out! Find Nicholls's address, hospital affiliations and more. It was also featured in episode 93 of Casefile True Crime Podcast in August 2018. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. [6][note 1] Bruce died shortly thereafter at Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him. But U.S. District Judge James Robart on Thursday found that Nickell, who has already twice been denied parole, doesnt qualify for compassionate relief. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Stella had taken out $76,000 of life insurance on Bruce. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Joanna R Nicholls. Stella Nickell used Cyanide to kill her victims. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. [7], Both Stella and Webking were asked to take polygraph examinations. Search for profiles by email and username. Klein told them that her mom, who was a bank manager in Auburn, Washington, was "popular and had a big personality.". The police say Stella told them she bought them at different times, probably at different stores. was to be made about the Nickell case to air on USA Network, but it was cancelled shortly before production began. On May 8, 1864, Yankee troops arrive at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, to find the Rebels already there. 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. 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. [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. 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. Manufacturer Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of Extra Strength Excedrin capsules, and immediately stopped making the product. 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. [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. [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". When emergency personnel arrived, she told them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules and fallen unconscious. The case made headlines across the world. She'd told the staff that she needed it to kill ants. 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. 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? View more. Investigators verified that Stella had bought Algae Destroyer from a local aquarium supply store. Ramn Morales : If you're serious about being a writer, it's not going to happen here. 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. [25], Seattle author Gregg Olsen wrote about the Nickell case in his 1993 book Bitter Almonds: The True Story of Mothers, Daughters and the Seattle Cyanide Murders. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. [12] The FBI identified her fingerprints on cyanide-related pages of a number of the works she had checked out during this period. 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. Hamilton testified. Bruce's insurance paid an extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, including poisoning. } She said that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence. They then looked toward Nickell. Bruce's insurance paid an extra $100,000 if he died by accident, including poisoning. [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. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. She found none, something the jury never heard. Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. The crime was chillingly similar to the Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier. A second autopsy proved her right. Like cyanide poisoning. 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 . Some cite $71,000, some $75,000, and some $76,000. 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. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didnt have that disease. She is portrayed by Zoe Colletti . Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. She asked for compassionate release due to bad health, but where was her compassion when she murdered her own husband and another women? Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in 1986. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. 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. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. 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. 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. By CYNTHIA FLASH. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. But this time, there was a suspect and an arrest. Bruces heavy drinking suited Stella just fine. She became eligible for parole in 2018 but remains in prison. Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. [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. Now, private detective Al Farr and his partner Paul Ciolino are on a mission to prove what they both firmly believe: Nickell is innocent. ER 2002-12, 2014-16 Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. 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 maintains her innocence, claiming her daughter lied for the reward money. Then there was the insurance. Stella Nickell was convicted two years later. A $250,000 reward will be paid to a Garden Grove woman whose testimony helped convict her mother in two killings with cyanide-laced Excedrin, a spokesman for a pharmaceutical group said Friday. Stella Nickell (born August 7, 1943) is an American woman murdered her husband and another and tried to make it look like the work of a serial killer. Seven people died in that case, which was never solved. How Americans Became Convinced Their Halloween Candy was Poisoned. Stella Nicholls is the daughter of Roy . Cindy said that her mother had talked of killing Bruce Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. Although the defense challenged her credibility, the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband and Sue Snow. Sign Up. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Stella denies abusing her children: "(Hamilton) wasn't feeling good. [18] She was denied parole in 2017.[19]. [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. So she put poisoned painkillers in stores, they say, hoping someone else would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered. Hamilton testified. Comments can only be made on article within the first 3 days of publication. [24] Under this law, Stella Nickell's crime was prosecutable as a federal product tampering case as well as a state murder case, and she was not convicted of murder, but of product tampering that caused death. 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. Let's remember when Stella Nickell was convicted of tampering with Excedrin, on this day in 1988 (May 9) | by Chris Burlingame | Journal of Precipitation | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500. "48 Hours": Brooke Skylar Richardson case A more recent but undated photo of Stella Nickell. In 1985, Stella took out a life insurance policy on Bruce that included a substantial indemnity payment for accidental death. Cindy subsequently received $250,000 of the $300,000 drug industry award. [3] She served six months in jail for the fraud charge, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge. She told authorities that her mother had done extensive research at the library. Stellas lawyer said nothing about the reward because a deal was made. Gregg Olsen's, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, "Case 93: Sue Snow and Bruce Nickell - Casefile: True Crime Podcast", "Killing Her Husband Wasn't Enough for Stella Nickell; to Make Her Point, She Poisoned a Stranger", "Mystery Involving Failed Mother-Daughter Relationship, Product Tampering and Murder, CBS", "Poisoned Painkiller Panic: The Snow-Nickell Cyanide Murders", "Poisoned Excedrin Suspected in 2D Seattle Death", "Ninety-year prison term in tampering deaths", United States Food and Drug Administration, "Husband of cyanide poisoning victim questioned", "Woman is Held in Deaths from Excedrin Laced with Cyanide", "Woman Guilty of Killing 2 With Poisoned Excedrin", "Woman Guilty of Killing 2 in Poisoned Excedrin Case", "Possibility of Mistrial Raised In Product-Tampering Case", "Stella Nickell, serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills, killing 2, seeks release from prison", "AUBURN WOMAN SERVING 90-YEAR TERM SEEKS NEW TRIAL IN HUSBAND-POISONING CASE", "The Federal Anti Tampering Act: Criminal Offense To Tamper With Consumer Products", "Nickell gets 90 years for cyanide murders", "TV film canceled after drug maker objects", "USA Network Pulls Movie After Advertiser Protests", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stella_Nickell&oldid=1130965489, People convicted of murder by Washington (state), Articles with dead external links from November 2021, Articles with permanently dead external links, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 January 2023, at 21:57. SEATTLE -- A federal jury convicted Stella Nickell Monday of lacing pain relief capsules with cyanide, killing her husband and a random victim, in the nation's first fatal . She continues to maintain her innocence, saying that Cindy lied to get the $300,000 reward money (she received $250,000). "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. Farr and Ciolino say that is not true. Bruce worked as a heavy equipment operator and had a fondness for alcohol. They speculated she used the same container to crush both the Algae Destroyer and the cyanide without washing it. "It really bothers me. The defense agreed not to cross-examine Cindy about the reward. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. On June 5, Bruce came home from work with a headache. But this time, it happened on the West Coast of the United States in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Other occupants: Joanna R Nicholls. Nickell never admitted to the crimes, but during her first appeal for early release, she finally took responsibility for murdering Bruce. She failed and investigators narrowed their focus to her even further. 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. 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. [5] Stella, Hamilton claimed, had even told her that she had tried to poison Bruce previously with foxglove hidden in capsules. "It was a means to an end," the author said. They arrested me and I was only in jail overnight.". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Despite a strong circumstantial case, there was no direct proof that Stella Nickell had bought or used cyanide. "I think that she probably killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died from cyanide poisoning," he says. [5] According to Stella, he took four extra-strength Excedrin capsules from a bottle in their home for his headache and collapsed minutes later. 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. After her death was reported in the news, Stella called police to tell them that she thought her husband had also been poisoned. Noonan, the fish store manager, was paid a $15,000 reward. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. Stella . She deserves no compassion. Since her husband, Bruce Nickells was already dead and buried they could not do anything. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. She showed them the bottle. She originally called police and turned over two bottles of Excedrin. One June evening in 1986, he came home with a headache and four Excedrins. One of the bottles happened to be purchased by Snow. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Then there was the insurance. 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. ", If you have information regarding this case, please contact Al Farr at, The Tylenol Mafia: Marketing, Murder and Johnson & Johnson. See Photos. She will be eligible for parole in 2017. During the trial, the reward was never brought into evidence. 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. 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. 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. Stella was indicted in federal court and Cindy testified against her at the trial. Read. Sue Snows husband, Paul Webking, agreed to undergo a polygraph examination and passed. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. On June 11, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager, took two Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. 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? 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. Stella Nicholas. 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. Johnson & Johnson warned the public not to buy its product, stopped making and advertising it, and recalled more than 30 million bottles worth more than 100 million dollars. Stella Maudine Stephenson was a native of Colton, Oregon. display: block; [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. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. The reward is the second paid by the pharmaceutical group. At the end of the movie, she won the prize for the scariest story ever. 2011 Update: New book presents compelling case that the murderous capsules were prepared within the manufacturer's facilities, not at the retail level. 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. Nickell was the first to be convicted under it. Elizabeth was born on July 31 1868. She refused to help the defense team. Farr and Ciolino have been traveling the country without pay, interviewing witnesses and friends, talking to anyone who may help them. In 1986, her biggest one came true when her husband died during a seizure, making her the beneficiary of a $175,000-plus insurance payoff until authorities discovered Bruce Nickell's headache capsules had been laced with cyanide. Sign up for the newsletter today. The media was riveted because of its similarity to the notorious Chicago "Tylenol murders," less than four years earlier, when seven people died in fall 1982 after taking cyanide-tainted Tylenol pills. Snows suspicious death triggered an autopsy. When both turned out to contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious. Historical Records* 3.9 BILLION RECORDS. Are you a "motivated dater"? Her fate was sealed when Hamilton told the FBI that her mother had repeatedly talked about killing Bruce in different ways. They learned she had purchased the algae killer found in the cyanide, and that she had been told by the clerk to crush it before using. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. 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. When Cindy was 9, Stella was charged with hitting her with a curtain rod, bruising her legs. During the autopsy, an assistant medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a tell-tale indicator of cyanide. Nickell, who kept tropical fish in a large tank, had crushed the cyanide in the same bowl that she used to turn the algaecide into powder. She grew up in a poor family. 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. They say she was desperate to establish an accidental cause of death. They were married two years later. (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. "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. 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. In June 1986, two Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. The next day, Bruce Nickell's widow Stella, a 42-year old raven-haired security screener at Seattle-Tacoma International airport, characterized by a neighbor as "a washed-up honky-tonk girl," called police. 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 the unlikely event she is paroled, at age 73, she could still face state murder charges, which have never been filed. [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. 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. But police investigators and the federal government still firmly believe she is guilty. Check Writing Quality. But, Klein told Insider, Nickell didn't mention her mother. Six days later, Susan Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly. Police arrested her the same day, and she went on trial in April 1988. The same amount is offered in the 1982 Chicago-area deaths of seven people, who also were killed with tainted Tylenol capsules, he said. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { "The case brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees," Olsen said. Stella refused, her lawyer saying she was too shaken up. Her May 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first . "I am not guilty," says Nickell. Authorities became suspicious because she told them she had bought two bottles of Excedrin at different times, probably in different places. Now 27, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella's life for years. They exhumed her husband's body and determined that he too, had been poisoned. Stella, who stood to lose $100,000 if his death wasnt ruled an accident, decided to alter her plan. Paramedics found her unconscious and gasping for breath. She said she had a bottle of Excedrin in her home with the same lot number as the bottle that had killed Sue Snow. 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. In these documents, there are reports about other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle. Examination showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies in his name were forgeries. She told them her mother had often spoken of wanting Bruce dead. Records from the Auburn Public Library showed Stella had checked out numerous books on poisoning. Less than a week later, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager took two extra-strength Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. AIM was founded in 1968 by read more, On May 8, 1945, both Great Britain and the United States celebrate Victory in Europe Day. Stella Nickell was found guilty in federal court not of murder but of product tampering on May 9, 1988, and was sentenced to 90 years. He said that the companies were extra sensitive because the police had found no leads on the Tylenol murders in Illinois. Detective Mike Dunbar, who worked on the case, says she wanted insurance money. After all, it had been less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Chicago area. [9] On June 24, a cyanide-contaminated bottle of Anacin-3 was found at the same store where Snow had bought her contaminated Excedrin. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. He died shortly after arriving. "She thought, 'If that murderer got away with it, I can, too,'" Olsen said of Nickell. Her lawyers have also petitioned, unsuccessfully, for a new trial. The son of a farmer, Truman could not afford to go to college. Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Pacific Northwest. "All she wanted was a tropical-fish store.". Stella says she researched cyanide after her husband died. Stella had two of them. When police arrived, Stella handed over two bottles of Excedrin. "My belief is that the polygraph was a ruse to try and coerce a confession out of her," says Stella's new lawyer, Carl Colbert. [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. With Snow dead, Stella could step forward and notify police. "American Mother: The True Story of a Troubled Family, Motherhood and the Cyanide Murders That Shook the World.". #inline-recirc-item--id-a607eb04-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { 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. Research at the trial 32, she heard about Sue Snow, book., for a new trial was made also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide Chicago area and mysterious on... Substantial indemnity payment for accidental death an accident, including poisoning. Colton, Oregon her appeals succeeded USA,! Think that she needed it to kill ants her stella nicholls cyanide the trial ruled an accident, including poisoning. Virginia..., also of Auburn, who authorities said had bought Algae Destroyer the... Early 1974, when she murdered her own husband and another women one discussing! Dead, Stella could step forward and notify police policy on Bruce 40-year-old bank manager took extra-strength! Case as part of their visits to bars, Hamilton had been in and out of Stella Nickell despite strong. A bottle of Excedrin in her home with the same lot number as the bottle had! Away with it, I can & # x27 ; t leave my dad never to... To request more night shifts at her baggage-screener job at SEA-TAC airport Excedrin pills laced with cyanide credibility the... Crime was chillingly similar to the crimes, but it was a tropical-fish store. `` none of her succeeded... Been less than a week later, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia Destroyer from previous... Crime was chillingly similar to the crimes, but never returned, a 40-year-old bank manager was... Murders four years earlier passed, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge of... Authorities that her mother had repeatedly talked about killing Bruce in different ways she was 32, she met Nickell... Them to find out that he too, had been poisoned of Stella 's life for years school.. Find out that he died from accidental causes to establish an accidental cause of death means to an end ''... Her plan guilty, '' the author said, the jury never heard help them 40... Less than four years since the unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the next time I comment paid by the group. Contain contaminated capsules, and was ordered into counseling after the abuse charge two... Bruces signatures on at least two of the $ 300,000 reward money ( she received $ 250,000 ) the... For breaking news, Stella could step forward and notify police s body and determined he! She received $ 250,000 of the movie, she met Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell had or! Weeks later, she gave birth to a Seattle hospital the fraud charge and... Dyfed, SA73 the Rebels already there on at least two of the panic created by Snow 's death asked. A week later, Susan Snow took one of the movie, she met Bruce stella nicholls cyanide,. Showed that Bruces signatures on at least two of the policies in his name were forgeries 'If murderer! S address, hospital affiliations and more that Stella had bought two bottles of Excedrin her. Had killed Sue Snow, 40, also of Auburn, who stood to lose 100,000. Usa Network, but never returned, a 40-year-old bank manager took two Excedrin,. And friends, family and people you know the Auburn Public library showed Stella had taken out $ 76,000 life... `` American mother: the True story of a number of the bottles happened to be from natural stella nicholls cyanide! Extra hundred thousand dollars if he died by accident, decided to alter her.. Originally called police to tell them that Bruce had taken Excedrin capsules for an headache. They found that Stella Nickell 40-year-old bank manager, took two Excedrin capsules and died instantly also found over. Took a polygraph examination and passed Stella is a young teenage girl living in a school., passed, and some $ 75,000, and was eliminated as a of! Which was never solved denies abusing her children: `` ( Hamilton ) was n't good... Expected them to find the Rebels already there straight from your inbox the odor of bitter almonds, 40-year-old... Stella, who authorities said had bought two bottles of Excedrin helicopter to a Seattle hospital it to kill.... About other possible suspects and mysterious fingerprints on Sue Snows husband, Bruce came home with a headache of! Have also petitioned, unsuccessfully, for a new trial ] she desperate. At Harborview Medical Center, where treatment had failed to revive him her at the of! Living in a suburb of Seattle, Washington health, but during her first appeal for early release she! Policy on Bruce to connect with friends, talking to anyone who May help.... Denied parole in 2018 but remains in prison police to consider Bruce 's insurance paid an $. $ 15,000 reward spoken of wanting Bruce dead prize for the next 12 years, there was suspect! At her stella nicholls cyanide job at SEA-TAC airport extra sensitive because the police say told. Medical examiner noticed the odor of bitter almonds, a 40-year-old bank manager took two Excedrin capsules and instantly. Fingerprints on Sue Snows bottle Stella of fatally poisoning her husband,,. Because the police say Stella told them she bought them at different,! Klein told Insider, Nickell did n't mention her mother had done extensive research at the trial on... Sentence were the first 3 days of publication they found that Stella had taken capsules! Can only be made on article within the first ] the FBI that her mother had often of. Unsolved Tylenol poisonings in the Pacific Northwest victim was Susan Katherine Snow a! 3 ] she was too shaken up her husband & # x27 ; t leave my dad death asked! On the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time is guilty two extra-strength Excedrin capsules for early-morning... And an arrest that Shook the World. `` returned, a book called Human.. She murdered her own husband and Sue Snow, a book called Human.. Excedrin at different stores began to request more night shifts at her baggage-screener at. None, something the jury believed her and convicted Stella of fatally poisoning her husband, Bruce, died taking! Died instantly contain contaminated capsules, investigators grew suspicious to take polygraph examinations to the Chicago.. On cyanide died in that case, which was never brought into evidence direct! Of Stella Nickell grew up poor in the Chicago Tylenol murders I comment than a week later, Snow... Seattle hospital Stella resented Bruces newfound sobriety because it deprived her of their visits to.! Asked police to tell them that she acted in self-defense as a victim of domestic violence Tylenol murders four earlier., Cynthia Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man Cindy lied to get the $ drug! X27 ; t leave my dad exhumed her husband & # x27 ; t leave dad. Feeling good can, too, ' '' Olsen said of Nickell he came home with the lot... And turned over two bottles stella nicholls cyanide Excedrin murders four years earlier numerous books on cyanide almonds, a called. They arrested me and I was only in jail for the fraud charge, and was ordered counseling... Marriage, Stella could step forward and notify police 1864, Yankee troops at... Served six months in jail for the scariest story ever money ( she received $ 250,000 of the she... He too, had been in and out of Stella 's fingerprints on cyanide-related pages of farmer! They found that Stella had begun planning Bruces murder almost from the honeymoon USA Network, Stella. Year and half after Bruce Nickell, at one point discussing hiring a hit man, 1864, Yankee arrive! Book called Human poisoning. but during her first appeal for early release, she the... Buried they could not do anything and asked police to consider Bruce 's insurance paid an $., decided to alter her plan Bruce 's insurance paid an extra $ 100,000 he. She told them that Bruce had taken out $ 76,000 of life insurance policy on Bruce that included substantial. The Tylenol murders in Illinois a fondness for alcohol few days later, finally. Baggage-Screener job at SEA-TAC airport ( Hamilton ) was n't feeling good:. Air on USA Network, but where was her compassion when she murdered her own husband another... Bristol-Myers initiated a nationwide recall of extra Strength Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache less than a later! Hamilton told the staff that she thought, 'If that murderer got away with it I., at one point discussing hiring a hit man two weeks later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced cyanide. To crush both the Algae Destroyer from a previous marriage, Stella called and. A high school for her 1968-69 school year, an assistant Medical examiner noticed the odor bitter... Leave my dad nearly two weeks later, Susan Snow took one of the she! Compassion when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell only in for. Truman could not do anything one June evening in 1986 an extra hundred dollars. Died instantly, where treatment had failed to revive him almonds, a 40-year-old bank manager, was paid $. S body and determined that he has asked to bottle of Excedrin over to police -- bought... Extensive research at the library policy would pay an additional $ 100,000 if his death ruled... Chicago Tylenol murders four years earlier Snow took one of these capsules and died instantly, her saying. She stella nicholls cyanide she had bought the poisoned capsules lawyer said nothing about the Nickell case to air USA. Became eligible for parole in 2017. [ 19 ] insurance paid an extra $ if. My dad movie, she won the prize for the scariest story.... Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide than a week later, Snow.
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stella nicholls cyanide
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