Again, cyanide: UPMC worker poisoned, dies: homicide? accident? suicide?

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wfgodot

wfgodot

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UPMC employee died of cyanide, how undetermined

PITTSBURGH - A University of Pittsburgh Medical Center employee found dead at work earlier this month was killed by cyanide poisoning.

But Allegheny County Medical Examiner Dr. Karl Williams tells The Associated Press that his office has yet to determine whether 34-year-old Nicole Kotchey's death was a suicide, some kind of accident, or homicide.

Williams and UPMC spokeswoman Susan Manko say Pittsburgh police are still investigating the circumstance surrounding Kotchey's death at Magee Womens Hospital of UPMC on Nov. 12.

Kotchey's death came a week after another former UPMC medical researcher, Dr. Robert Ferrante, was convicted of first-degree murder in the April 2013 cyanide poisoning death of his wife, Dr. Autumn Klein. Klein was a neurologist also employed by UPMC.
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cbsnews.com

WS GUILTY PA -Mystery death of neurologist Autumn Marie Klein *Arrest*
 
jjenny said:
Wouldn't be the first time. It's supposed to be quick if a large does is taken. This guy killed himself in court.

"PHOENIX -- A former Wall Street trader whose dramatic courtroom death was witnessed by millions on TV and the Internet probably committed suicide with a homemade cyanide pill."

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-07-11/defendant-kills-self/56153806/1
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From your link.

"evidence indicated that Marin purchased it over the Internet in 2011 from a California supplier."

I have heard it's a horrible way to die. *painful
It sure beats. (Insert brain f@rt here) it was a radiation drug, not Thalidomide... :doh:

Thallium??
 
jjenny said:
Wouldn't be the first time. It's supposed to be quick if a large does is taken. This guy killed himself in court.

"PHOENIX -- A former Wall Street trader whose dramatic courtroom death was witnessed by millions on TV and the Internet probably committed suicide with a homemade cyanide pill."

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-07-11/defendant-kills-self/56153806/1
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I agree...it wouldn't be the first time. In fact, many people have done it. I just meant that I personally, can't imagine it. Such a painful way to go.
 
LaborDayRN said:
I agree...it wouldn't be the first time. In fact, many people have done it. I just meant that I personally, can't imagine it. Such a painful way to go.
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It's quick if a large dose is taken. People have done much more painful things to kill themselves.
And we don't even know if this woman actually killed herself.
Somebody else could have put it into her food or drink.
 
jjenny said:
It's quick if a large dose is taken. People have done much more painful things to kill themselves.
And we don't even know if this woman actually killed herself.
Somebody else could have put it into her food or drink.
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That was actually my original point. I wondered if someone else poisoned her, because I can't imagine using cyanide to commit suicide. (MOO) There have also been incidences of long term, work place poisonings. It doesn't sound like that would be the case here.
 
This is going to be a boon in an appeals case for Ferrante convicted of killing Dr. Klein I would think. Don't you? Same hospital. Some nut possibly lurking there or working there?
 
Leomoon80 said:
This is going to be a boon in an appeals case for Ferrante convicted of killing Dr. Klein I would think. Don't you? Same hospital. Some nut possibly lurking there or working there?
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If investigators can find a source of cyanide at UPMC that both Drs. Klein and Kotchey had access to, it will definitely help Dr. Ferrante's defense during his appeal.

However, considering that cyanide is quick-acting, the only explicable means of Dr. Klein dying of cyanide poisoning at home from exposure at work, IMO, is through her clothing. Had she maybe just changed clothes, pulling a garment over her head, shortly before dying? Did investigators test the clothing of both victims for traces of cyanide?

Also, the headaches and fainting spells that Dr. Ferrante claimed his wife experienced for months preceding her death are consistent with cyanide poisoning. Might she have been exposed to small doses of cyanide over time until it built up to lethal levels?


Quickly take off clothing that may have cyanide on it. Any clothing that has to be pulled over the head should be cut off the body instead of pulled over the head.

If you are helping other people remove their clothing, try to avoid touching any contaminated areas, and remove the clothing as quickly as possible.
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<snipped>
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/cyanide/basics/facts.asp

Ferrante and his defense attorneys contend they believe Klein may have been stricken by a cardiac arrhythmia or some kind of brain abnormality relating to headaches and fainting spells she had suffered in the previous months.
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<snipped>
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/06/pittsburgh-medical-researcher-denies-killing-wife
 
This is terrible, if this man has been wrongly accused and convicted. I hope they get to the bottom of it quickly., somehow, someway :(
 
Leomoon80 said:
This is terrible, if this man has been wrongly accused and convicted. I hope they get to the bottom of it quickly., somehow, someway :(
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Which man was wrongly convicted? If you mean Ferrante, evidence against him was very strong. He purchased cyanide a very short time before his wife ended up dead. Large amount of it was missing from the bottle. So I don't understand how these two cases are connected in any way shape or form, except the second case could be a copy cat.
 
Indy Anna said:
If investigators can find a source of cyanide at UPMC that both Drs. Klein and Kotchey had access to, it will definitely help Dr. Ferrante's defense during his appeal.

However, considering that cyanide is quick-acting, the only explicable means of Dr. Klein dying of cyanide poisoning at home from exposure at work, IMO, is through her clothing. Had she maybe just changed clothes, pulling a garment over her head, shortly before dying? Did investigators test the clothing of both victims for traces of cyanide?

Also, the headaches and fainting spells that Dr. Ferrante claimed his wife experienced for months preceding her death are consistent with cyanide poisoning. Might she have been exposed to small doses of cyanide over time until it built up to lethal levels?



<snipped>
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/cyanide/basics/facts.asp


<snipped>
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/06/pittsburgh-medical-researcher-denies-killing-wife
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Did you follow the trial? He purchased cyanide a very short time prior to his wife dying. Large amount of it was missing from the bottle when the bottle was examined. He couldn't explain what happened to missing cyanide. His wife didn't work with cyanide. She was a medical doctor, not a researcher. Why would there be any cyanide on her clothing?
 
I said "if" I didn't say definitely WAS one way or another. Such things do occur you know.

As to why she'd have cyanide on her clothing, that's a "fair" question. But she did work in that environment and came into contact with others in the same hospital I would surmise.

I didn't follow every bit of the trial as you may have, but I did read he said he purchased it for research in the area of treating Alzheimers.
 
Leomoon80 said:
I said "if" I didn't say definitely WAS one way or another. Such things do occur you know.

As to why she'd have cyanide on her clothing, that's a "fair" question. But she did work in that environment and came into contact with others in the same hospital I would surmise.

I didn't follow every bit of the trial as you may have, but I did read he said he purchased it for research in the area of treating Alzheimers.
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She didn't "work in that environment." She was an MD. She didn't work with cyanide. He claimed he purchased it for research, but he purchased it a very short time prior to her death. He couldn't account for where the missing cyanide went.
There was a large amount of it missing and he had no explanation for it. If he used it for research in the very short amount of time after him getting it and her dying, he should have had a record of how he supposedly used it for legitimate purposes.
 
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