48 Hours, April 20, 2024, CBS, “Death by Eyedrops”

This Saturday April 20 on CBS, 48 Hours looks into the intriguing case of Lynn Hernan, a Wisconsin woman whose mysterious death uncovered a complex web of friendship, health struggles, and alleged poisoning. In “Death by Eye Drops,” contributor Jericka Duncan unravels the facts of this incredible case.

Five years after Jessy Kurczewski reported finding her friend Lynn Hernan dead in her recliner, she stood trial for intentional homicide and felony theft. What unfolded in the intervening years was a tale of intrigue, as investigators uncovered a potential poisoning plot involving an unlikely substance: eye drops.

The episode will feature contributions from CBS affiliate reporter Stephanie Rodriguez, who provides insight into the trial and the relationship between Kurczewski and Hernan. According to Rodriguez, Kurczewski was like an adopted daughter to Hernan, and the two were very close, with Kurczewski caring for Hernan during the last year of her life. The defense argued that Hernan’s health struggles led her to take her own life and that Kurczewski was innocent.

However, the prosecution painted a different picture, alleging that Kurczewski stole from Hernan and ultimately poisoned her for her money. This allegation is supported by the discovery of tetrahydrozoline, an active ingredient in eye drops, in Hernan’s system. When ingested, this substance can be fatal, and its presence in Hernan’s blood raised suspicions about the nature of her death.

Anthony Pozza, a friend of Hernan’s, recounts her frustrations with her health and her struggles to find answers from doctors. In a phone call with Kurczewski, Pozza recalls her suggesting that Hernan may have committed suicide, an idea very much at odds with the prosecution’s case.

Jericka Duncan takes us through the intricate details of the trial, including testimony from a first responder who found medication bottles and a mysterious powdery substance near Hernan’s body.

With contributions from those closest to the case and a detailed examination of the evidence, “Death by Eye Drops” promises to provide a compelling insight into this tragic incident.

48 Hours: Death by Eye Drops airs on CBS at 10:00 pm on Saturday, 20 April 2024.