One Method Used by Spousal Killers
Husbands and Wives Often Use Poisons To Murder Their Partners
The following spousal murder case was committed by a person who worked in a hospital environment and had access to undetectable lethal drugs, such as succinylcholine.
Stephen Hricko
Kimberly Hricko told investigators that after a romantic night out together, the couple returned to their motel room, where Stephen continued to drink. He began pressuring Kimberly for sex. She was unwilling, a fight ensued and Kimberly left. She explained that upon her return to the motel she saw smoke coming from the room.
Fire investigators found a box of cigars on a bedside table next to the bed where Stephen would have been sleeping. One cigar was missing causing investigators to speculate whether careless smoking was the cause of the fire.
Arson investigators were called in and recreated the damage at a training academy. One of Stephen Hricko’s cigars was taken from the crime scene for forensic testing. The cigar, when placed against a flame retardant pillow from the motel, kept going out telling investigators that “careless smoking” actually was not the cause of the fire as previously thought.
Further investigation found that the point of origin was in the area that Stephen Hricko’s remains were found. The burn patterns of fires are that they burn the longest at the point of origin. “Pour patterns” showed that an undetectable accelerant was used.
Stephen Hricko’s death was labeled a homicide when the investigators found that the fire had been deliberately set using the undetectable accelerant, and that it was poured and the fire lit in the area of Hricko’s remains.
According to Joe Gamble, a Maryland State Police, homicide detective, during an autopsy on Stephen Hricko’s body, it was determined that his head, arms, and torso were severely burned. However, no lung damage was found. Investigators said that the lack of lung damage meant that Steven Hricko was not breathing during the fire, meaning that he was already dead when fire was set.
Contrary to Kimberly Hricko’s story, no evidence of alcohol was found in Stephen Hricko’s body, therefore Kimberly was lying when she said that Stephen was, “sloppy drunk.”
Authorities needed to prove that Kimberly Hricko staged the scene to throw investigators off. They canvassed convenience stores, trying to find out where the cigars came from. One store clerk told them that Kimberly Hricko purchased cigars. The clerk said she remembered Kimberly because she was rude and abrupt with her.
The cigars that Kim purchased were the same brand as those found in the motel room. Police also confiscated the store’s price gun for examination. To make their case, the characteristics of the cigar’s brand were compared. Certain manufacturers use their own dyes and pigments making each unique.
When Kimberly was confronted about the cigar and autopsy findings, the 33 year-old surgical technician now admitted that she purchased the cigars. She previously denied making the purchase.
During the interview, Kimberly Hricko acted surprised about the autopsy finding and abruptly ended the interview asking for an attorney.
A friend of Kim’s told investigators that Kim wanted a divorce, Kim had been having an affair and she was spending a lot of time with the man. She was not making any efforts to salvage her marriage. Kim also stood to gain $200,000 from a life insurance policy that Steven had.
Kimberly Hricko’s coworkers did not believe that Kim set fire. However,one doctor said he was jokingly offered a large sum of money to kill Stephen, and joked back that he could put him to sleep forever with succinylcholine.
Succinylcholine
Succinylcholine, a drug that for the average person is difficult to obtain, is a paraylizing drug that is used in hospital operating rooms. Classified as a “skeletal muscle relaxant,” when given in high enough doses succinylcholine causes cardiac arrest in victims.
People who work in surgical units in hospitals have access to the lethal drug, a somewhat common choice in killers because it metabolizes very quickly in the human body making it virtually undetectable by coroners and medical examiners.
A few days after the fire a motel employee found Kim’s discarded syringe in the grass near the motel. Police were able to build a circumstantial case to bring Kimberly Hricko to justice.
To this day, motel guests frequently request the room where Stephen Hrico died.
Sources
TV’s “The New Detectives” on Discovery I.D., “Toxic Death,” episode, aired Thursday, June 26, 2008.
TV’s “Snapped,” on the Oxygen Network, “Kimberly Hricko” episode, aired Thursday, June 26, 2008.
