Klein laments the fact that her mother missed every milestone in her life, like her wedding and the birth of her son, over the past 36 years. When another tainted bottle from the same lot was found in a grocery store in nearby Kent, Bristol-Myers, the manufacturers of Excedrin, responded to the discovery with a heavily publicized recall of all Excedrin products in the Seattle area,[8] and a group of drug companies came together to offer a $300,000 reward for the capture of the person responsible. Stella Nickell is convicted on two counts of murder by a Seattle, Washington, jury. Investigators speculated she had used the same container to crush algae killer and store cyanide. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. Three capsules out of those that remained in the 60-capsule bottle were found to be laced with cyanide in toxic quantities. A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. Other evidence pointed to Stella. [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. Detective Mike Dunbar, who worked on the case, says she wanted insurance money. The other three charges each drew a 10-year term. The doctors said it was emphysema, but Stella says that never made sense, because he didnt have that disease. [7], Both Stella and Webking were asked to take polygraph examinations. [29][30] The murders are discussed in the Jodi Picoult novel House Rules, published in 2010. But Tom Noonan, manager of the local fish store, says she did buy algae destroyer. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. [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. 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. Snow died a few days later, after also taking Excedrin pills laced with cyanide. [6] Further FBI investigation showed that Bruce's purported signatures on at least two of the insurance policies in his name had been forged. "I am not guilty," says Nickell. The other victim was Susan Katherine Snow, 40, also of Auburn, who authorities said had bought the poisoned capsules. Her release date is set for July 10, 2040, when she will be almost 97 years old. Check Writing Quality. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. Bruces heavy drinking suited Stella just fine. [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. 4 Stella J Nicholls. Stella Nickell Fast forward to 1986. But he took a polygraph, passed, and was eliminated as a suspect. During the trial, the reward was never brought into evidence. Somewhat bizarrely, he said, Nickell planned to use the money to open a pet store selling tropical fish. She originally called police and turned over two bottles of Excedrin. They are not sure where the dialogue will lead. At the end of the movie, she won the prize for the scariest story ever. Her husband, Bruce, died after taking cyanide-laced Excedrin tablets in . 48 Hours reports on the search. 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. Sign Up. An additional $50,000 will be shared by eight others who helped convict Stella Nickell of Auburn, Wash., in the deaths of her husband and another woman, the spokesman said. Stella Nicholl. Nobody was ever convicted in the 1982 Chicago Tylenol Murders. Stella's payoff now totaled $175,000. You have to go to the city. This time it was a bottle of Maximum Strength Anacin-3 at the Pay 'n Save store where Sue Snow was thought to have bought her fatal Excedrin. Nearly two weeks later, she heard about Sue Snow. Stella's neighbor, Sandy Scott, became a spy for the FBI. Stella Nickell, an Auburn woman who was sentenced to 90 years in prison for product-tampering that left two people dead, is seen here in 1987 at the age of 44. I think, 'Say her name, lady.'". Stella Nicholls is the daughter of Roy . A second autopsy proved her right. Snow was airlifted to the hospital, but she was declared brain dead a few hours later. [5], In response to the publicity, Stella came forward on June 19. 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. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell. She found none, something the jury never heard. Stella Nickell was sentenced to. ", Klein has watched all three of Nickell's parole hearings, where she's petitioned for release on "compassionate grounds." Make her serve the whole sentence or until she dies. The records tended to confirm at least that part of Hamiltons story. "I think that she probably killed Bruce and expected them to find out that he died from cyanide poisoning," he says. Find out in Part II, Retracing The Case. The reward is the second paid by the pharmaceutical group. The police searched the family home and found an open bottle of Excedrin, a brand that Snow often used, in the kitchen cabinet. [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". May 08, 2013 12:00 AM. [2] She was also known to have, even before Snow's death, repeatedly disputed doctors' ruling that her husband had died of natural causes. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. [17], Stella was sentenced to two terms of ninety years in prison for the deaths of Bruce and Snow, and three ten-year terms for the other product tampering charges. The poisonings resulted in widespread public anxiety, as they came just five years after seven people died in Chicago from poisoned Tylenol capsules, leading to the product-tampering law under which Nickell was convicted. But, the author said, the poisoner has never cared about the attention. After the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-6), Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Potomac marched south in the drive to take Richmond. 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. The Food and Drug Administration soon announced that Extra Strength Excedrin capsules found at Snow's home contained cyanide. Stella Nicholas. They arrested me and I was only in jail overnight.". She later moved to Southern California where she married and had another daughter. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital. Stella Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. DARLING (born NICHOLLS) and 3 other siblings. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater. Investigators exhumed Bruce Nickells body and found evidence of cyanide. Stella, who was ordered to go to counseling, says her daughter was jealous of her. In June 1986, two Auburn residents were killed by painkillers laced with cyanide. But why would she bring the poisoning to police attention in the first place? "The case brought the whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees," Olsen said. Police arrested her the same day, and she went on trial in April 1988. 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.. Noonan claimed she bought so much algae destroyer, he had to special order it just for her. Stella denies abusing her children: "(Hamilton) wasn't feeling good. 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. 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? She became eligible for parole in 2018 but remains in prison. Includes Age, Location, Address History for Stella Chen; Arrest, Criminal, & Driving Records . See Photos. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. She deserves no compassion. [5] On June 27, Washington State put into effect a 90-day ban on the sale of non-prescription medication in capsules. Prosecutors said Stella Nickell put cyanide in capsules of Extra-Strength Excedrin and gave them to her husband. Police initially focused on Snow's husband Paul Webking. Your email address will not be published. Sue Snow collapsed in her bathroom of her home in the Seattle, Washington, suburb of Auburn. The police say Stella told them she bought them at different times, probably at different stores. Gradually suspicion hardened on Stella Nickell. Stella and Steven have lived together in a single family house in Philadelphia, PA. View more. Stella Nickell was convicted two years later. Her fingerprints were also found all over other books on cyanide. The deaths sparked a nationwide tampering scare and prompted Excedrin manufacturer Bristol-Myers Co. to recall its over-the-counter capsule medications. The detectives discovered an FBI memo that seems to support Rider's account. 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 Nickell, then 75, had been sentenced to 90 years in prison in 1988, after she was found guilty of product tampering. [2] When her bar visits were curtailed by Bruce's sobriety,[3] she began requesting evening shifts at her security screener job at SeattleTacoma International Airport and cultivated a home aquarium as a new hobby. However, the motion was denied. In the next 12 years, there would be a failed marriage and a second daughter. Bruce was a heavy equipment operator with a drinking habit, which suited her lifestyle,[3] and the two were married in 1976. 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. Reports said Snow died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. She belongs in prison until she is dead. or. Tests confirmed that Snow had died from acute cyanide poisoning. Nickell tampered with five additional bottles of Excedrin and placed them on store shelves in the Seattle area. "It really bothers me. "Rock star" reptile breeder murdered; Coroner: "Not a random act" 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. Farr and Ciolino talked to other people who were also rewarded for their role in the case. The clincher came when Stellas oldest daughter, Cindy Hamilton, contacted police. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { For 19 months, Farr and Ciolino have been traveling the country without pay, interviewing witnesses and friends, talking to anyone who may help them re-open this case. On June 11, Sue Snow, a 40-year-old bank manager, took two Excedrin capsules for an early-morning headache. So she put poisoned painkillers in stores, they say, hoping someone else would die and the tainted capsules would be discovered. She is a citizen of Mill Valley and the daughter of Roy Nicholls. win all terms to run concurrently. She failed and investigators narrowed their focus to her even further. But then they found out that he was an organ donor and a sample of his. Over a few weeks, Farr met with her twice. It's a notorious case out of Auburn a woman convicted of lacing Excedrin painkillers with cyanide that killed two people in 1986, including her husband. But the policy would pay an additional $100,000 if he died from accidental causes. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter, Cynthia. Investigators concluded they were dealing with product tampering. Investigators verified that Stella had bought Algae Destroyer from a local aquarium supply store. 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. This information would spread across the town she lived and cause her to start getting bullied because . A year and half after Bruce Nickell died, Stella Nickell was arrested and stood trial in federal court. Hamilton testified. Her May 1988 conviction and prison sentence were the first under federal product tampering laws instituted after the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders. Stella Chen has been associated with one company, according to public records. Olsen said that Nickell told her daughter, Cindy Hamilton, about the scheme, despite their fractious relationship, and how she was inspired by the Tylenol deaths. 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 told them that she thought that he'd been poisoned, too. A federal judge has denied a plea for compassionate release from prison by an Auburn woman whos serving 90 years for planting poisoned pills that killed two and prompted national recalls of over-the-counter painkillers. Are you a "motivated dater"? They turned out to be algae destroyer, a product used to kill algae in fish tanks. Stella appealed her conviction but none of her appeals succeeded. Olsen says Hamilton and her mother had a combative relationship. She is played by Zoe Colletti. Trusted by millions of genealogists since 2003 Trusted information source for millions of people worldwide But this time, pathologists smelled the telltale scent of bitter almonds during the autopsy, and determined that cyanide poisoning had killed Sue Snow. 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. display: block; She will be eligible for parole in 2017. "It was a means to an end," the author said. Rider, says that she was with Stella when she bought two bottles of Excedrin at a store called Albertson's. Stella is not perfect: She once served four months in jail for check fraud. Milford Haven, Dyfed, SA73. Stay up to date with what you want to know. [10], With investigatory focus turned to Stella, detectives uncovered more circumstantial evidence pointing to her as the culprit. Stella's friend A.J. She told authorities that her mother had done extensive research at the library. Another memo mentions that Stella's two Excedrin bottles came from one store, Albertsons. She is portrayed by Zoe Colletti . 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. 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Was jealous of her appeals succeeded citizen of Mill Valley and the tainted capsules would be discovered open pet! Change of heart View more `` it was emphysema, but Stella that! Placed them on store shelves in the first place same day, and was eliminated as a suspect are... Detectives uncovered more circumstantial evidence pointing to her husband whole pharmaceutical industry to its knees, '' he.. Think, 'Say her name, lady. ' '' poisoning, '' he says old is!
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