Criminal Poisoning: Investigational Guide for Law Enforcement, Toxicologists, Forensic Scientists, and Attorneys (7 page)

The public despises poisoners for their lack of sympathy toward their victim (or victims), and rightly so in the case of Ronald Clark O’Bryan, who killed his own child to obtain money from an insurance policy. On Halloween 20

Criminal Poisoning

1974, in the town of Pasadena, Texas, 8-year-old Timothy Marc O’Bryan died after ingesting Pixy Stix®, candy straws filled with fruit-flavored powder. Examination of the treats revealed that they also contained potassium cyanide. Contaminated treats were also found in the candy bags of Timothy’s sister, and those of three other children from the neighborhood. Mr. O’Bryan, who had accompanied the children around the neighborhood on their trick-or-treat activities, stated that the poisoned candies had been given out at the home of a rather shadowy figure that he could not identify. Police investigation eventually revealed that the 30-year-old O’Bryan had made inquiries around his workplace concerning cyanide and had recently taken out a $65,000

insurance policy on his son. The court found him guilty of the murder, and he was executed—ironically, by lethal injection—on March 31, 1984 (Sauke, 2003).

1.2.19. Rev. James Warren Jones,

“The Minister Who Went Mad” (1978)

Many people can easily remember the television news scenes of November 18, 1978, showing 913 people lying dead in the sun in a jungle compound in the South American country of Guyana. This case represents one of the greatest mass suicides (murders?) involving poison in recent history. The piv-otal personality involved in this incident, Rev. James Warren Jones, did not administer the poison with his own hands, but he certainly was the instigating force in this terrible event. Jones, who founded a communal group known as the People’s Temple, had taken his flock to the jungles of Guyana and founded a spiritual refuge known as Jonestown.

Jones’s hold over his followers was a prime example of the famous quote by Lord Acton that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (cited in Kaplan, 2002, p. 554). In Guyana, Jones eventually lost touch with reality, becoming extremely paranoid in his view of the outside world.

The triggering event to the mass poisoning was the visit of California Congressman Leo Ryan to investigate allegations made by the families of some of his constituents about Jones’s hold over their family members. Congressman Ryan, and many other members of his entourage, were shot and killed at Jonestown, by Jones’s followers, and then Jim Jones ordered his followers to carry out the “White Night” suicide exercises that they had practiced so many times as a test of their faith for their pastoral leader. A large container of fruit drink containing cyanide and sedatives was soon concocted, and many of the people lined up and voluntarily drank the deadly creation. Some, however, were less than willing to die for Jones’s cause; many of their bodies bore signs that the poison had been injected by force. Jones’s body was also recov-Poisoners Throughout History 21

ered from the commune death scene, but the cause of his death was a bullet to the head. A review of this terrible tragedy in Guyana reminds one of the Euripides saying “whom the gods destroy, they first make mad.”

1.2.20. Murder of Georgi Ivanov Markov,

“The Umbrella Assassination” (1978)

Murdering a victim by means of poison can also be a political act. The Markov case represents a most unique murder with poison, because of the means of administration. Georgi Markov was a Bulgarian defector living in London and working for the BBC broadcasting pro-Western propaganda back to his Communist-controlled homeland. While going to work on the morning of September 7, 1978, Markov felt a stabbing pain in his thigh, and a man in the crowd behind him suddenly dropped and then quickly picked up an umbrella. The unknown man apologized for bumping into him, then entered a taxicab and disappeared. Over the next several days, Markov became increasingly ill, and medical teams were unable to discover the cause of his symptoms and of the changes that were happening to his normal blood constituents.

Within four days of the event, Markov was dead. An autopsy revealed a small bruise on his thigh, which, when excised, revealed a metallic sphere, about the size of the ball on the end of a ballpoint pen, with holes drilled into it.

Although no poison could be detected in this metal object, the toxicologists generally agreed that the poison that induced Markov’s symptoms was most likely ricin, a highly toxic plant substance found in the castor bean (
Ricinus communis L.
). Georgi Markov’s assassin was never found, and after the fall of the Soviet Union, it was revealed that its “Laboratory 12” had developed the assassination weapon. Ricin was indeed used by the Bulgarian State Security organization Durzhavna Sigurnost in an umbrella mechanism for the means of injecting the poisoned sphere into the organization’s victims. The case, recently brought by Markov’s widow, is currently in the courts (Bereanau & Todorov).

1.2.21. Unknown Offender, “The Tylenol® Tamperer” (1982)

In October 1982, a series of incidents occurred in Chicago that were to change forever the manner in which over-the-counter (OTC) medication was to be sold in the United States. Seven people were to fall victim to a tamperer when they innocently took Extra Strength Tylenol® capsules that had been laced with cyanide. Of the seven victims (three from the same extended family), six died almost immediately, and one lived for 2 days before succumb-ing to the effects of the poison. It took some time before investigators were able to determine that the common factor in all the deaths was that all seven 22

Criminal Poisoning

victims had taken the pain reliever. As a result of this incident, the product’s manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, immediately recalled all packages of its analgesic product on a national level and reformulated both the capsule format and packaging to make them more tamper resistant. In its prompt attention to the problem, the company was able to save its credibility with the public and set a standard for other manufacturers for handling any similar future incidents. Although an extensive investigation ensued, sufficient evidence to warrant the arrest of an individual for this heinous crime was never obtained. As a result of this incident, tamper-resistant packaging has become a norm in the US marketplace.

1.2.22. Stella Maudine Nickell, “The Camouflaged Poisoner” (1986)

In poisoning cases, things are not always as they first appear. The case of Stella Nickell is a perfect example of what appeared to be a death resulting from a tampering incident but was actually an attempt to cover up a very carefully planned homicide.

In Auburn, Washington, Nickell’s husband, Bruce, died of what was believed to be emphysema. The cause of his death was actually cyanide, which his wife had administered in an attempt to collect on a $175,000 life insurance policy. Unfortunately for Stella Nickell, a natural cause of death did not pay as much as an accidental death. Out of this dilemma, she concocted a plan.

Not long after Bruce’s death, a young woman named Susan Snow collapsed and died in the bathroom of her own home, after taking an OTC pain reliever. On autopsy, cyanide was detected in the unfortunate woman. An investigation of her movements just before her death led to the discovery of a bottle of pain reliever capsules in her medicine cabinet that had been tampered with, and cyanide was found as the tampering agent. A rapidly instituted recall by the product’s manufacturer revealed several other bottles of tampered medication in different locations. The case took an interesting turn when Nickell called the authorities to report that she thought her husband had also been a victim of this tainted pain reliever. Exhumation revealed that Bruce had also died of cyanide poisoning, and two bottles of contaminated capsules were found in the Nickell home. Stella said that she had purchased these bottles at two different stores, but it did not take the authorities long to realize that they were talking either to the most unlucky purchaser in history, or to someone who might know more about this tampering incident than it first appeared.

Evidence began to mount against Stella, and members of her family voiced suspicions. In addition, authorities found small green flecks of material in the cyanide, which was eventually identified as an algae destroyer used in home aquariums. The home of Stella Nickell contained many such aquariums. A Poisoners Throughout History

23

forensic investigation of books at the local library eventually revealed many of Stella’s fingerprints on toxicology books dealing with cyanide and other toxic compounds. A jury found Stella guilty of two murders, and she was sentenced to two 90-year terms in prison. In June 2002, an appeal was made in federal court to throw out Stella’s conviction owing to suppression of evidence, namely that Stella’s daughter received a financial reward for her testimony from an entity affiliated with drug manufacturers, and that conflict of interest may have influenced her testimony (Olsen, 1993).

1.2.23. Donald Harvey, “The Angel of Death” (1983–1987)

“The Angel of Death” was a serial killer who struck at victims within the health care system over a period of four years, from 1983 to 1987. Donald Harvey, a nurse’s aide, used multiple methods to bring the lives of many patients under his care to a rapid end. Some were smothered, and some he poisoned with arsenic, cyanide, or morphine. His crimes eventually came to light in Cincinnati, Ohio, when a pathologist was able to detect the odor of cyanide on one of the hospital victims on whom he legally had to perform an autopsy. Further exhumations and autopsies were performed on other patients who had died unexpectedly during a given time period, and traces of poison were found in many of the bodies. One of the common factors shared by these victims was that they were cared for by Donald Harvey. On interrogation, Harvey admitted to the killings and was placed on trial. Court psychiatrists determined that Harvey had a personality disorder that resulted in a compul-sion to kill, but that he was not insane. After pleading guilty to 24 murders, Donald Harvey was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison. Thus was incarcerated one of the most prolific medical poisoners in the history of the United States.

1.2.24. George Trepal, “The Eccentric Genius” (1988)

George Trepal was probably one of the most intelligent poisoners ever encountered in the United States. His IQ qualified him for membership in Mensa, a select group of individuals with proven high intelligence representing probably only 2% of the general population.

The case began in 1988, in Bartow, Florida, when several members of the Carr family suddenly became ill. Something unknown was causing paralysis and slow destruction of their nervous systems. The condition was thought to be the result of a virus, and they were hospitalized and provided whatever supportive care was possible. Eventually the mother of the family, Peggy Carr, succumbed from her condition, and one of her sons was permanently disabled by the effects on his nervous system. Suspicion fell on the heavy-metal poi-24

Criminal Poisoning

son thallium as the cause of the family’s maladies, and a search began for a possible environmental source of the substance. The investigators finally discovered the element in individual screw-cap bottles of Coca-Cola Classic®

from a package that the family had been consuming over a period of time.

The question was, how did this very toxic substance wind up in this consumer product? Obviously, someone had tampered with the bottles. During the extensive investigation, the person who came to light was George Trepal, a neighbor who had openly voiced some displeasure with the members of the Carr family over various neighborhood issues. An undercover police investigation revealed that Trepal had had access to the family, a motive, and a great deal of knowledge about chemistry. A search of his home revealed a container with traces of thallium. Trepal was found guilty of the tampering murder and was sentenced to die for the crime. At the time of this writing, he is awaiting execution on death row in Florida (Good and Goreck, 1995).

1.2.25. Michael James Swango, MD,

“Double-O-Swango—License to Kill” (1983-1997)

Michael Swango, talented pianist, National Merit finalist, and class vale-dictorian, was a physician who had everything going for him, yet something forced him over the edge to become a serial poisoner. Between 1983 and 1997, Dr. Swango is thought to have killed many patients in many US states, as well as in Africa. Since childhood he had a fascination with violent death, often collecting newspaper clippings associated with such events. For his se-nior thesis he chose the Markov murder, and his favorite film was
Silence of the Lambs
. Even his medical school classmates gave him the nickname “Double-O-Swango” in reference to the James Bond character. He kept a collection of books on poisons and maintained recipe cards on poisonous substances. It is unknown how many people he killed using arsenic and drugs, because he traveled from one hospital to another across the United States.

Unfortunately, the hospitals he left did not pass on their suspicions to the next hospital in which he was about to practice. Eventually he traveled to Zimbabwe, where more suspicious deaths occurred. Dr. Swango was taken into custody on his return to the United States and interrogated. He was later placed on trial for multiple murders. In 2000, he plead guilty to four murders and was given three life sentences without parole (Stewart, 1999).

1.2.26. Harold Frederick Shipman, MD, “Dr. Death” (1974–1998)

Dr. Harold Shipman will probably be remembered as one of the most heinous serial killers in British history. Certainly Shipman was responsible Poisoners Throughout History

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for a high body count. It is thought that Shipman, a family doctor operating out of his office in Hyde, Manchester, England, may have killed at least 215

patients (mostly women) between 1974 and 1998 by utilizing opiate drugs.

Suspicions were aroused after his final murder, because for the first time in any of the deaths he apparently had had a financial motive and had forged a will in his favor. Investigations soon revealed that he was associated with multiple sudden deaths in patients who before his visit to their home were not clearly at death’s door. It is thought that his motive in most of the killings was his need to have power over others. In 2000, he was sentenced to life in prison for 15 murders. On January 13, 2004, on the day before his 58th birthday, he was found hanging in his prison cell—a successful suicide (Whittle and Ritchie, 2001).