Summary
Highlights
Dr. Joseph Whittle, co-director of the coronary care unit at Petersburg General Hospital in Virginia, is on duty when Josephine Thomas, a 73-year-old retired teacher, suffers a sudden cardiac crisis and dies. The hospital staff, particularly two nurses, grow suspicious as an epidemic of unexpected deaths has recently struck the unit. An hour and a half after Thomas's death, a package of lidocaine goes missing. Lidocaine stabilizes heartbeats but can be fatal in large doses. Dr. Marcella Fierro, chief medical examiner for Virginia, notes an increased number of deaths and that many occurred, or were discovered, during the shifts of a 21-year-old nurse's aide, Leroy Hargrave.
Autopsies are performed when the cause of death is unknown. James Volunteer, head of the toxicology laboratory for the Commonwealth of Virginia, explains that poisoning isn't automatically suspected unless circumstances or lack of other evidence suggests it. Toxicologists use sophisticated techniques like antibody tests and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometers to detect and identify toxins. These methods involve breaking down compounds into ions and comparing their 'ion signatures' to a database. These techniques were crucial in revealing six poisonings at Petersburg General Hospital.
John Trestrail, director of the Blodgett Regional Poison Center, explains that poisoning homicides are difficult to detect due to the lack of witnesses or visible trauma; the crime scene is often cleaned, and evidence is scarce. He highlights the ancient knowledge of poisons, dating back to primitive man's observations of cause-and-effect with plants and fungi. Poisoning's essence is stealth, allowing for long-distance homicide and sometimes enabling deaths to be ruled as natural causes. This is what nearly happened at Petersburg General Hospital until Josephine Thomas's death sparked suspicion.
An autopsy on Josephine Thomas revealed lethal concentrations of lidocaine, which she should not have received. The hospital reviewed all fatalities during Leroy Hargrave's shifts, identifying ten potential cases of lidocaine poisoning. James Dalton, assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, learned Hargrave was the prime suspect as deaths occurred on his night shifts. Because several victims had been buried for months, forensic scientists had to recover poison from embalmed and buried bodies, a toxicological masterpiece. Ultimately, six of the ten suspicious deaths were confirmed as acute lidocaine poisoning. Prosecutors reconstructed Josephine Thomas's murder: Hargrave stole lidocaine, administered a massive dose, disabled her cardiac monitor alarm, and then raised the alarm to deflect suspicion. Leroy Hargrave was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment; his motive was never established, though one theory suggests he enjoyed the drama of the 'code blue' resuscitation efforts. John Trestrail emphasizes that many poisoning cases are missed because the evidence is buried with the victim.
In 1986, 15-year-old Hayley Snow found her mother, Susan Snow, collapsed and unconscious in Auburn, Washington. Susan Snow died hours later at Harborview Medical Center. Her death, initially puzzling, was revealed to be murder by cyanide poisoning when the assistant medical examiner detected the smell of bitter almonds during the autopsy. The source was identified as a bottle of extra-strength Excedrin capsules in her kitchen. This led to a mass recall of 750,000 bottles of Excedrin. FBI Agents Jack Cusack and Mike Byrne investigated the case. John Trestrail categorizes poisoners into 'Type S' (specific victim) and 'Type R' (random victim). Susan Snow's death was a 'Type R' killing, a cold-blooded attempt to divert attention from the real target. Six days before Susan Snow died, Bruce Nickell, 52, had collapsed in Kent, Washington after taking Excedrin. His wife, Stella Nickell, emphatically stressed his use of Excedrin to paramedics. Bruce died, and his death was ruled natural causes and emphysema. After news of Susan Snow's death, Stella called authorities again. Tests confirmed Bruce's Excedrin capsules were laced with cyanide. Of the thousands of bottles screened, only five contained cyanide; Stella had two, which she claimed to have bought at different times, an improbable coincidence. Stella's motive was insurance fraud. Handwriting analysis proved Stella forged Bruce's signature on insurance policies, which would have paid her about $778,000 for accidental death over the $31,000 for natural causes.
FBI analysis of the cyanide-laced Excedrin revealed tiny green specks. These specks contained four chemicals, two of which were used in algaecides. One commercial product, 'Algid Destroyer,' a green tablet used in fish tanks, contained all four. Agents found that Stella Nickell was a 'fish fancier' with many aquariums. They discovered a pet store where she frequently bought Algid Destroyer. Stella failed a polygraph test, leading to the termination of her interview. Her daughter, Cindy, revealed Stella's murderous planning, including asking about poisons, trying to hire a hitman, and researching poisonous plants at local libraries. FBI agents found Stella's fingerprints and palm prints in a book on poisons. Evidence mounted against Stella: researched cyanide in library books, forged insurance policies, and purchased Algid Destroyer. On May 9, 1988, Stella Nickell was found guilty of murdering Bruce Nickell and Susan Snow and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. John Trestrail characterizes poisoners as intelligent, artistic, and prone to denial.
In 1991, Joe Mealing pushed his wife Jennifer to take Sudafed, which led to her collapse and coma. Special Agent Tom Ferguson reports Joe Mealing described his wife's symptoms to the 911 operator, which matched cyanide poisoning. In the hospital, Joe made the curious suggestion of cyanide poisoning to the doctor. Jennifer recovered and confirmed she took Sudafed at Joe's insistence. The doctor alerted the police, and a cyanide test confirmed its presence in her blood. Dr. Barry Logan notes that routine drug screenings do not typically test for cyanide due to the time-consuming nature of older tests. He developed a quicker litmus test, turning purple in the presence of hydrogen cyanide. This test became crucial when two more mysterious deaths occurred in his jurisdiction, both involving Sudafed and revealing cyanide. On March 1st, a pattern emerged: three cyanide poisonings, two fatal, all linked to Sudafed. The product was withdrawn, and the FBI was called in. Joe Mealing's comments about being 'too smart to ever be caught' made him a prime suspect.
FBI agents examined Sudafed packages, finding that instead of jagged foil breaks from pushing pills through, tampered packages had smooth breaks, indicating Joe had precisely cut out the capsules with a razor. Agents reconstructed Joe Mealing's life, finding a motive in insurance fraud. Joe convinced Jennifer to sign a 'small' life insurance policy, which actually totaled $700,000. Joe's behavior changed before the poisoning; he bought Sudafed capsules (which they never used), polished his 'grand scale' (a balance) while wearing latex gloves, and cleaned the kitchen (which he never did). The FBI mapped stores where tampered Sudafed packs were found. While Joe's link to stores near his home and work was clear, four stores in Tacoma were puzzling. It was discovered Joe frequented stripper bars in Tacoma, and several dancers recognized him, placing him at those locations. The FBI tapped Joe's phone, overhearing him describe a building identified as Emerald City Chemical Company, which sells cyanide. Joe signed the poison register as 'Richard P. Johnson;' handwriting analysis proved it was Joe's disguised writing. He purchased one pound of sodium cyanide. The chemical store clerk didn't recognize Joe from a photo, but Joe owned theatrical makeup equipment, capable of making someone unrecognizable. After 18 months, the FBI completed their case. Joe replaced Sudafed with cyanide in six packages, five returned to stores, one used to poison Jennifer. Joe Mealing was indicted, serving life imprisonment. Agents found a screenplay outline at his home about Jennifer's poisoning, with the protagonist described ironically as 'devoted, honest, reliable, sincere, truthful'.
Joe Mealing, like Stella Nickell, learned from previous cases, and investigators, in turn, learned to prevent and detect such murders. Dr. Barry Logan notes that products can't be made tamper-proof, but packaging can make tampering evident. John Trestrail outlines the 'conviction pyramid' for poisoners: a victim, a poisoner, the poison itself, and intent, all linked. These elements are crucial for a successful conviction. Despite advancements in forensic science, some poisoners still evade detection, highlighting the ongoing battle against these elusive criminals.