posted
First of all, I am very sorry for your loss.
I know very little about poisons, but it would make sense if you would work backwards. Determine what was the official cause of death, consider/rule out other possible causes (did she have any health issues that could have contributed - age, weight, afflictions, etc?), search poisons that would have that effect, and determine availability, opportunity, and probable mode of delivery.
By correlating this data, you can limit your possibilities. I'm assuming you suspect him due to something she said, his behavior, or serious motive. If you had access to her computer (or his), you could possibly find this information very quickly, but you are better off letting law enforcement handle that and whatever you do don't put yourself at risk. I hope you find answers, but it is good to be prepared for none. Much of this is probably time-sensitive, and it sounds like some time has already elapsed. Also consider that one of the phases of grief is blame. I don't know anything about the situation, but the desire for blame has led to many conspiracies and false accusations - just something to consider.
posted
Thank you for your kind reply. You have made astute observations. Time has elapsed but I am still haunted by my sister's death. She would not want her husband to get by with murder. I wish I could find her fellow writers who had the discussions with her. The Pathologist listed 3 possible causes of death but could not tell for sure what killed her. She was in a coma for 3 days before she died and there were at least 20 doctors on the case. They were all mystified and could not identify what was happening with her. She had a very high potassium count. She died in a famous clinic that never has anyone die without a definite cause - this is what the Pathologist told me. Several other people in the family also believe that her abusive husband murdered her. He did not even invite any of us into her home after she died so I got very few of her belongings. He took the data out of her daybook that I requested and put empty pages in it! He gave her beautiful clothes to Goodwill so he could get a tax deduction. She lived in the Kansas City area if you know any writers there. Thank you for any help you can give me.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
Writer's Digest Books put out a book called Deadly Doses: A Writer's Guide to Poisons back in 1990...it is still available from Amazon-dot-com and might have information bearing on this...
Posts: 8809 | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Loree, this is such a tragic thing and my heart really goes out to you. I truly hope you get the justice that you seek.
I don't know very much about poisons, but you make it clear the husbands behavior is very suspicious. Still, I have many contacts in the medical and science field, and will ask around. I know it is a long shot, but I am compelled to do what I can.
What are the authorities doing with this case? Are the police still investigating?
Also, what did the husband do for a living? Perhaps this would give a clue as to what compounds he had access to.
Also, was the pathologist a toxicology specialist? Many things can cause a high potassium count. Did your sister have type-1 diabetes, use potassium supplements or any other medications, have Addison's disease or kidney problems? Also, when they took the blood sample and found the potassium increase, did they do a second sample to verify the result?
posted
Thank you for your replies - what a wonderful community! I will get the book you recommended, Robert. When my sister died, I was in a state of shock. Our parents had just died the year before and I was very close to both of them. We didn't call for an investigation at the time of her death because she died out of state and there was no evidence with the inconclusive autopsy report. At that time I was so distraught but thought I would wait and investigate and turn it into cold case at a later date. For a time, I was able to go on and try to live with it. As of late, for some reason, I feel compelled to seriously investigate and find the truth. They did multiple comprehensive tests on my sister while she was in the coma. My brother-in-law stopped them from doing the last test that could have possibly had an answer. She then died while he was alone in the room with her. I have no peace about it. He was an early retiree and was working part time in a hardware store in a farming community. I am sure that he got my sister's generous retirement after her death. Our parent's estate had just been settled a month before she died and he got every dime that my parents left to my sister. He had nothing when she married him 10 years before her death. He married again a year after she was gone and sold her wooded, beautiful 7-acre property to move to a new home with his new wife.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
It seems your best bet would be to find a detective on the local police force whom you could persuade to reopen the case as a questionable death. After more than a year, your chances of independently finding new evidence (without preserved blood samples or an exhumation) are very slim. This is especially true without having access to the home or any of her belongings. Researching the husband and his background would be your most likely avenue, but that is difficult to do legally without police assistance.
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