1986 | Auburn, Washington, USA | Product Tampering / Murder | Solved
TLDR
In 1986, a woman in Washington state tampered with Excedrin capsules on store shelves to kill her husband for insurance money. She also killed a stranger who bought a contaminated bottle. Stella Nickell became the first person in U.S. history convicted under the federal Anti-Tampering Act.
The Case
Susan Snow, 40, died on June 5, 1986, in Auburn, Washington, after taking Excedrin pain-relief capsules that had been laced with cyanide. She was found by her husband in the bathroom. Investigators quickly determined the capsules had been tampered with.
The discovery triggered a massive recall of Excedrin products nationwide. Authorities feared a repeat of the 1982 Tylenol murders in Chicago — still unsolved at the time — in which seven people had died from cyanide-laced capsules.
Then another tampered bottle surfaced. This one belonged to Bruce Nickell, 52, who died on June 11, 1986, five days after Susan Snow. His wife Stella had found him collapsed at home and called paramedics. After Snow’s case became public, Stella Nickell brought her husband’s Excedrin to investigators. The capsules tested positive for cyanide.
FBI investigators became suspicious of Stella Nickell. Bruce had a $100,000 life insurance policy that doubled to $176,000 if he died by accidental means. Stella stood to collect significantly more from his death if it was classified as an accident rather than a natural cause.
The critical break came from a forensic botanist. The cyanide in the Nickell bottles was contaminated with trace amounts of a commercial algae killer called Algae Destroyer. Stella Nickell had purchased it. Investigators also found that she had been researching cyanide compounds at her local library in the months before her husband’s death.
In 1988, Stella Nickell was convicted of product tampering and two counts of causing death. She was sentenced to 90 years in prison, which was later reduced. She was released in 2004.
Where to Find More
- Documentaries: The case has been covered by Forensic Files and multiple Investigation Discovery episodes. It is frequently cited in academic discussions of product tampering law.
- Books: Bitter Almonds by Gregg Olsen (1993) is the definitive account of both the Snow and Nickell cases. It remains in print.
- Podcasts: Multiple true crime podcasts have covered the Nickell case. Search major platforms for Stella Nickell or Susan Snow.
