- Jessy Kurczewski faces life in prison for the murder of 62-year-old Lynn Hernan
- Hernan was found dead in her Milwaukee home on October 3, 2018, with a fatal dose of tetrahydrozoline, the main ingredient in Visine eye drops, in her system
- Kurczewski made the scene look like a suicide, cashing checks for himself and opening shopping accounts in the victim’s name after the murder
A Wisconsin woman openly wept as she was found guilty of poisoning her with eye drops in a staged suicide and then stealing nearly $300,000 from her.
Jessy Kurczewski, 39, murdered Lynn Hernan, 62, by administering a fatal dose of tetrahydrozoline, the main ingredient in eye drops.
She then arranged the scene to look like a suicide before committing a fraud worth nearly $300,000, including having the victim write a check for $130,204 to herself.
Kurczewski cried as a jury found her guilty Tuesday of first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of theft in Waukesha County. She faces a life sentence.
“The defendant betrayed Lynn out of greed,” said Assistant District Attorney Abbey Nickolie.
Jessy Kurczewski was found guilty of murdering Lynn Hernan by poisoning her with eye drops and making it look like suicide before stealing nearly $300,000 from her
Kurczewski collapsed as she was found guilty Tuesday of first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of theft in Waukesha County
Nickolie added that the ruling was “a step toward closure for all who mourn Lynn,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Hernan was found dead in her Milwaukee home on October 3, 2018, the scene littered with opened pill bottles. An autopsy found a fatal dose of tetrahydrozoline, a component of Visine eye drops and other medications in the Hernan system.
Kurczewski had known her victim for years, and defense attorneys claimed she was “like their daughter.”
She admitted giving Hernan a bottle containing six bottles of Visine brand eye drops, which she drank.
She claimed Hernan was suicidal and she was trying to help.
Months before the murder, Kurczewski’s credit score had plummeted due to overcharging on his credit cards.
Kurczewski’s defense team argued that Hernan (left) was like a mother to Kurczewski (right) and said the allegations had driven Hernan “crazy.”
The financial reports also revealed several payments made by the victim to the killer, as well as a “fraudulent” loan.
Hernan’s entire estate was left to Kurczewski, who told authorities that she had power of attorney. However, a cousin of the victim told them it was strange that the property had been left to her.
After police conducted an autopsy on Hernan, they discovered a fatal dose of tetrahydrozoline, the main ingredient in eye drops, in her body
The court heard that after carrying out the murder, Kurczewski went shopping and opened accounts in Hernan’s name.
“She wasn’t worried about Lynn all day,” said Assistant District Attorney Randy Sitzberger, WISN reports.
“She opened a JC Penney account in Lynn’s name and used Lynn’s other accounts to go shopping, to shop online, all the while knowing that she had just given Lynn poison.”
Investigators initially assumed it might be a drug overdose. Kurczewski said she told investigators she was caring for Hernan, who was “acting strangely.”
Kurczewski denied all allegations against her and her defense team tried to argue that Hernan’s death was due to a combination of medications in her body that she took to relieve her pain.
They claimed Hernan was suicidal and wanted to give away her money before she died.
The defendant’s lawyers claimed Hernan found it “crazy” that Kurczewski was accused of any wrongdoing.
“Lynn gave Jessy money all along because she wanted it,” said defense attorney Donna Kuchler. “Giving Jessy money made her happy. “Jessy was like her daughter.”
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