Skip to content
NOWCAST WISN 12 News This Morning
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

State: Fake suicide plot written by eye-drop killer

A 37-page letter, written to a friend named Jessica and obtained by the state and Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, appears to show instructions on how to fake a tape recording explaining the victim died by suicide.

State: Fake suicide plot written by eye-drop killer

A 37-page letter, written to a friend named Jessica and obtained by the state and Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, appears to show instructions on how to fake a tape recording explaining the victim died by suicide.

APP AS WE GET THEM. NEW EVIDENCE TONIGHT AGAINST A WOMAN CONVICTED OF KILLING HER FAMILY FRIEND BY PUTTING EYEDROPS IN HER DRINKING WATER. THE NEWS COMES JUST DAYS BEFORE A JUDGE IS SET TO SENTENCE JESSE KRUSZEWSKI. A JURY RECENTLY FOUND HER GUILTY OF KILLING HER FRIEND, LYNN HERNON. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM TONIGHT. AND JAMES, INVESTIGATORS NOW HAVE LETTERS THAT SHOW KRUSZEWSKI TRIED TO FAKE HERNAN’S DEATH. AND JOYCE, IN THIS 37 PAGE LETTER ASKING THAT PERSON TO TAKE IT TO HER GRAVE. KRUSZEWSKI GIVES WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FAKE A SUICIDE CONFESSION RECORDING FROM THAT VICTIM. NOW, BOTH OF HER ATTORNEYS WANT OFF THE CASE. WE, THE JURY, FIND THE DEFENDANT, JESSIE R KOSZEWSKI GILLISZ T OF FIRST DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE. THE EMOTIONAL END TO A TRIAL OF A WOMAN CONVICTED OF KILLING A FRIEND BY POISONING HER WITH VISINE. WERE THESE IN ARE THESE YOUR TRUE VERDICTS? YES. BUT IT APPEARS JESSE KRUSZEWSKI WAS TAKING MORE THAN NOTES DURING AND AFTER HER THREE WEEK TRIAL. NEW COURT FILINGS BY THE STATE SHOW A LETTER TO A FRIEND COMPLETE WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RECORD A FAKE CONFESSION OF A SUICIDE FROM THE VICTIM. LYNN HERNON. THE 37 PAGE LETTER THE STATE SAYS SHE WROTE ON HER OWN TRIAL NOTES SAYS, QUOTE, I KNOW THIS IS CRAZY, BUT I GOT TO TRY TELLING THE PERSON THE EXACT WORDS TO SAY, QUOTE, I CHOSE TO DRINK VISINE AND END MY LIFE. DURING THE TRIAL, HER ATTORNEY ARGUED HERNON DIED OF SUICIDE DESPITE HER DEATH, LATER BEING RULED A HOMICIDE. IT WAS A SUICIDE. IT LOOKED LIKE A SUICIDE FOR DR. B TO SAY A YEAR LATER THAT THE SCENE LOOKED STAGED. HOW CAN HOW CAN WE WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND THAT? NOW THAT ATTORNEY AND ANOTHER ARE REQUESTING TO WITHDRAW FROM THE TRIAL, TELLING THE JUDGE HER INTEREST IN PROTECTING HER LAW LICENSE ARE AT ISSUE. AND IF THE COURT PROCEEDS WITH SENTENCING, QUOTE, I WILL REMAIN SILENT. KARCZEWSKI CLAIMED IN THE LETTER, ONE OF HER ATTORNEYS TOLD HER TO WRITE THE LETTER. THE LETTER WAS HANDED OVER TO THE WAUKESHA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHO NOW SAYS DETECTIVES ARE INVESTIGATING FOR POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL CHARGES. AND KARCZEWSKI HAS TWO LAWYERS. ONE DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE ACCUSATION. WHEN I STOPPED BY TODAY, THE OTHER COULD NOT BE REACHED. THE JUDGE WILL HEAR THEIR REQUEST TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CASE ALTOGETHER BEFORE THE SENTENCING ON THURSDAY. AND JAMES, CURIOUS TO NOTE THE STATE WANTS THE ATTORNEYS TO STAY. THEY DO. JOYCE THE STATE SAYS THE ATTORNEYS SHOULD STAY. THEIR MOTION FILED TODAY ADDS THAT A NEW ATTORNEY WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW WEEKS WORTH OF TRIAL NOTES. AND IT SIMPLY WOULD DELAY THE ENTIRE SENTENCING, LEAVING KRUSZEWSKI TO BE HELD
Advertisement
State: Fake suicide plot written by eye-drop killer

A 37-page letter, written to a friend named Jessica and obtained by the state and Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, appears to show instructions on how to fake a tape recording explaining the victim died by suicide.

Jessy Kurczewski was found guilty of killing her friend, Lynn Hernan, by poisoning her with Visine in Pewaukee in 2018. "We, the jury find defendant Jessy Kurczewski guilty of first-degree intentional homicide," the verdict was read on Nov. 14. Kurczewski was also found guilty of two counts of theft. Now, a 37-page letter, written to a friend named Jessica and obtained by the state and Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, appears to show instructions on how to fake a tape recording explaining Hernan died by suicide. The letter, the state says was written by Kurczewski on her own trial notes, explains to the recipient, "I know this is crazy, but I gotta try..."It goes on to tell the person to make a tape recording, sounding like Hernan, and tells her the exact words to say. The letter explains how to sound like Hernan, saying she has an "older, raspy, smokers cough and was sick, female voice." It adds, "You could even have a movie or music on in the background to help distract..."The directions of what to say last three pages and end with a plan to stop the recording "like she screwed up.""I chose to drink Visine and end my life..." one of the sentences states. "It was a suicide. It looked like a suicide. For Dr. B to say a year later that the scene looked staged, how can we wrap our heads around that?" defense attorney Donna Jean Kuchler said to the jury during closing arguments on Nov. 13.Kurczewski's legal team claimed Hernan took her own life. However, the medical examiner ruled Hernan's death a homicide, calling the crime scene staged.Now, Kuchler and Kurczewski's other attorney, Pablo Galaviz, want to withdraw their representation. In his motion, Galaviz cited a state statute that his representation "will result in violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law."Kuchler, in a letter written to the judge in the case, asked the judge to sign withdrawal before sentencing Thursday. "If it was not clear from our motion, I believe I am duty-bound to withdraw from this case," she wrote."My own interests in protecting my law license of 27 years are at issue here. If the court proceeds with the sentencing hearing, I will remain silent," she later added.Kuchler's office declined to comment Tuesday. Galaviz could not be reached for comment.The state, in a motion filed Tuesday, wants the judge to keep both lawyers for Kurczewski. The state says hiring new counsel will take too long for both Kurczewski and the victim's family. The state also says it will argue the letter was authored by Kurczewski, despite her continually denying writing them.A hearing on whether or not to keep Kurczewski's lawyers and her sentencing will both be held Thursday afternoon in Waukesha County Court.

Jessy Kurczewski was found guilty of killing her friend, Lynn Hernan, by poisoning her with Visine in Pewaukee in 2018.

"We, the jury find defendant Jessy Kurczewski guilty of first-degree intentional homicide," the verdict was read on Nov. 14.

Advertisement

Kurczewski was also found guilty of two counts of theft.

Now, a 37-page letter, written to a friend named Jessica and obtained by the state and Waukesha County Sheriff's Office, appears to show instructions on how to fake a tape recording explaining Hernan died by suicide. The letter, the state says was written by Kurczewski on her own trial notes, explains to the recipient, "I know this is crazy, but I gotta try..."

It goes on to tell the person to make a tape recording, sounding like Hernan, and tells her the exact words to say. The letter explains how to sound like Hernan, saying she has an "older, raspy, smokers cough and was sick, female voice." It adds, "You could even have a movie or music on in the background to help distract..."

The directions of what to say last three pages and end with a plan to stop the recording "like she screwed up."

"I chose to drink Visine and end my life..." one of the sentences states.

"It was a suicide. It looked like a suicide. For Dr. B to say a year later that the scene looked staged, how can we wrap our heads around that?" defense attorney Donna Jean Kuchler said to the jury during closing arguments on Nov. 13.

Kurczewski's legal team claimed Hernan took her own life. However, the medical examiner ruled Hernan's death a homicide, calling the crime scene staged.

Now, Kuchler and Kurczewski's other attorney, Pablo Galaviz, want to withdraw their representation.

In his motion, Galaviz cited a state statute that his representation "will result in violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law."

Kuchler, in a letter written to the judge in the case, asked the judge to sign withdrawal before sentencing Thursday.

"If it was not clear from our motion, I believe I am duty-bound to withdraw from this case," she wrote.

"My own interests in protecting my law license of 27 years are at issue here. If the court proceeds with the sentencing hearing, I will remain silent," she later added.

Kuchler's office declined to comment Tuesday. Galaviz could not be reached for comment.

The state, in a motion filed Tuesday, wants the judge to keep both lawyers for Kurczewski. The state says hiring new counsel will take too long for both Kurczewski and the victim's family. The state also says it will argue the letter was authored by Kurczewski, despite her continually denying writing them.

A hearing on whether or not to keep Kurczewski's lawyers and her sentencing will both be held Thursday afternoon in Waukesha County Court.