Suvechha Sarkar
Known for her warm heart and infectious smile, 62-year-old Lynn Ann Hernan was a beloved member of the Wisconsin neighbourhood. However, in October 2018, the unthinkable happened when she was found dead in her home. It was initially deemed to be a case of suicide due to an overdose. However, the investigation revealed that Jessy J. Kurczewski, the person who was taking care of her, was responsible for her untimely demise. CBS’ ’48 Hours: Death by Eye Drops’ dives deep into the trial that ensued following the investigation and the evidence that ultimately proved that it was a premeditated murder.
Jessy Kurczewski Tried to Cover Lynn’s Murder as a Suicide by Overdose
Jessy J. Kurczewski was born in 1984 and was an individual with a promising future. However, after graduating from high school, she began getting into trouble. On January 18, 2011, she was convicted of identity theft and forgery and sentenced to eight years in prison. However, she was released early in 2016 on extended supervision. Despite everything, she was quite close to her mother’s friend, Lynn Ann Hernan. The latter viewed her as her own daughter since she never married and lived alone. Lynn’s health began to decline around the time Jessy was released from prison. Over time, the latter ended up becoming her caregiver and used to visit her daily. From grocery shopping to paying her bills, Jessy always ensured to take care of Lynn.
However, Lynn’s health kept declining. Ultimately, on October 3, 2018, Jessy was shocked to find Lynn deceased in the living room of her home in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. She called 911 to report that the latter had allegedly committed suicide. When the officials arrived at the scene, they reportedly found multiple medication bottles, medicines scattered on the carpet, and powdered medicine in the scene. Jessy claimed that Lynn was suicidal because of her declining health. Initially, officials ruled it out as a suicide until the toxicology report came in. It determined her cause of death to be from the poisoning of a substance, Tetrahydrozoline. It is an active component in eye drops and can be lethal if it is ingested. The case was ruled a homicide, soon launching a full-blown investigation.
Jessy Kurczewski Had a Mountain of Evidence Against Her
On the day of her death, Jessy had opened a credit card in Lynn’s name. A few days later, she had also ordered $3000 furniture, which was delivered to the former’s home. On tracking Lynn’s expenses, it turned out that Jessy was using her money to buy a jeep, jewellery, and many extravagant items. Even during her last hospital stay, her money was transferred to Jessy’s account, which she withdrew from an ATM at a casino. During her questioning, she claimed Lynn was paying her for taking care of her. She further alleged that the latter often used to take eye drops. However, she consistently denied murdering her. Investigators reportedly discovered a text exchange between Jessy and her boyfriend, Scott Craig. There, she reportedly mentioned Tetrahydrozoline and explained how the compound can be fatal.
During her next interrogation, Jessy alleged that Lynn used to drink Visine, an eye drop, along with vodka. However, she insisted that she never gave her Visine and claimed in detail how the latter wanted to die by suicide. On the third day, Jessy alleged that Lynn loved the buzz that came along with drinking the eye drops. She claimed that on the morning of her death, the latter had mixed six bottles of Visine in a water bottle. Jessy allegedly spent 10 minutes trying to stop her before eventually leaving. All the conflicting accounts and evidence pointed towards her being the killer. Hence, she was arrested on July 9, 2019, and charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide of Lynn and two counts of felony theft.
Jessy Kurczewski is Incarcerated at a Wisconsin Prison Facility Today
Jessy’s jury trial finally commenced in October 2023. Prosecutors reportedly argued that she had poisoned Lynn by administering a lethal dose of Tetrahydrozoline and also stole around $200,000 from her. They further produced evidence about Jessy’s extravagant purchases. Prosecutors pointed out that it would be most beneficial if Lynn died because her will stated that the accused would be her estate’s power of attorney. They also produced several witnesses, among whom was Anthony Pozza. He was reportedly the other co-beneficiary alongside Jessy after Lynn’s death. However, he was shocked that the latter’s credit card debt had accumulated over $14,000. The medical examiner testified that although her other medications may have contributed to her death, the main cause was due to Tetrahydrozoline poisoning.
On the other hand, the defense argued that Lynn already had a history of consuming eyedrops with alcohol. They also challenged the claim of the medical examiner. They pointed out that Lynn was also on other medications that were not on her prescriptions, and that may have contributed to her death. The defense consistently stuck to their argument that she was frustrated by her declining health and had wanted to die by suicide. They presented a forensic pathologist as their witness, who explained that the cause of death was undetermined. However, she testified that she agreed with the original report that other medicines in Lynn’s bloodstream may have contributed to her death. Throughout the trial, Jessy continued to maintain her innocence. Finally, on November 14, 2023, she was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of felony theft.
However, an unexpected development ended up delaying the sentencing. Jessy’s friend turned in a 37-page handwritten letter. The letter had detailed instructions for creating a fake audio recording of Lynn and fake evidence to support the narrative that she had committed suicide. A footage from Jessy’s cell bunk room reportedly captured her writing on pages and entering them into an envelope. Although the prosecutors insisted that this proved that the letter was written by her, she denied the allegation. Ultimately, Jessy was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years for the first-degree murder charge and 10 years for two counts of felony theft on April 5, 2024. As of writing, she is serving her sentence at Taycheedah Correctional Institution, located in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
