282. The Nicotine Poisoner
How a Quiet Marriage Turned Into a Fatal Poisoning Case
The sudden decline and eventual death of Linda Kincaid in 1994 looked at first like a baffling medical mystery: repeated hospitalizations, unexplained organ failure, and symptoms that receded only to return more aggressively. Friends and nurses raised alarms after odd IV tampering and cloudy medication bags, but initial testing failed to reveal an obvious poison. Years later, a dedicated cold-case detective reopened the file and pieced together a pattern of deliberate poisoning that had been missed.
Nicotine poisoning used as a concealed murder weapon
Investigators eventually discovered extremely high nicotine levels on a reanalysis of preserved samples—far beyond what a smoker would have. The pattern suggested slow, escalating dosing to produce chronic illness, followed by a rapid, lethal injection. Evidence included a small needle mark behind the ear, prior intravenous tampering with lidocaine, and a postmortem toxicology profile showing both excessive nicotine and dangerous amounts of a sedative.
Red flags in intimate relationships and financial motive
Outside the lab, social evidence pointed toward motive and opportunity. The husband, Paul Curry, pressured his wife to name him beneficiary on large accounts, encouraged life insurance changes, and later collected hundreds of thousands in benefits. Friends reported he’d boasted about being able to poison someone undetected. Former partners described similar unexplained illnesses during his previous marriages, creating a pattern that investigators later used to link motive and method.
How the cold-case reopened and led to conviction
A persistent cold-case detective reviewed the original autopsy and found overlooked clues. Advanced toxicology testing—unavailable at the time of the initial investigation—revealed nicotine at toxic levels. The detective then located witnesses and ex-wives with parallel stories, which turned circumstantial detail into corroboration. A tactical confrontation led to an admission that the husband had been alone with the victim on the night she died, and that proved sufficient to arrest and eventually convict him of first-degree murder and insurance fraud.
Lessons for hospitals and investigators about medical evidence
- Preserve and re-test biological samples when a clinical picture remains unexplained, because technology improves over time.
- Take nurse observations seriously—reports of IV tampering and unusual medication appearance can be crucial.
- Consider financial and social motives alongside medical findings in sudden or recurrent illnesses.
The Kincaid case is a stark reminder that medical mystery can mask intentional harm, and that curiosity, careful record-keeping, and persistence can bring long-delayed justice.
Insights
- Hospitals must treat any report of IV tampering as a potential criminal investigation and preserve all medication bags and records.
- Preserving biological samples from unexplained deaths allows modern toxicology to detect poisons previously missed.
- Financial records and beneficiary changes can reveal motive and should be reviewed promptly in suspicious deaths.
- Consistent reports from nurses and family members are actionable leads that investigators should prioritize.
- Cold-case detectives can achieve convictions by combining improved forensic science with careful witness re-interviews.
