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Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode

April 26, 2024 / 41:49

This episode covers the trial of Jesse Keski for the intentional homicide of Lynn Hearn, focusing on key evidence, witness testimonies, and the prosecution's case against Keski.

The trial took place in October 2023, where Jesse Keski was accused of poisoning Lynn Hearn with tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient found in eye drops. Prosecutors argued that Keski had a financial motive, claiming she stole over $200,000 from Hearn before and after her death.

Witnesses, including friends of Lynn, testified about her declining health and her relationship with Keski, who was described as a close friend and caretaker. The defense presented Lynn's health issues as a factor in her potential suicide.

Medical examiners testified about the unusual findings in Lynn's toxicology report, leading to the conclusion of homicide rather than suicide. The jury deliberated for over ten hours before finding Keski guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and felony theft.

After the verdict, a bizarre turn occurred when documents allegedly written by Keski were found, suggesting attempts to fabricate evidence for her defense. Keski was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

TLDR

Jesse Keski was convicted of murdering Lynn Hearn for financial gain, with evidence of poisoning and theft presented during the trial.

Episode

41:49
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[Music] thank you everyone please have a seat if you are satisfied Beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant
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caused the death of Lynn hearnen with the intent to kill you should find the defendant guilty of first-degree
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intentional homicide if you are not So Satisfied you must find the defendant not
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guilty Lyn hearn's not here to tell you what went on we were dispatched to a suicide a female had located her friend
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deceased in a residence it was immediately obvious that the decedent was there in a
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recliner she has multiple medication bottles that are within Arms Reach she has multiple medications that are kind
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of scattered on her carpet and this appears to be an unknown powdery substance left behind on a plate I
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received a witness statement from Jesse from what I knew Jesse was the caretaker
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of the individual Jesse kvy took care of Lynn during the last year of Lynn's Life
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Jesse was like an adopted daughter to Lynn so Jesse and Lynn were very close Lynn was really sick and depressed Lynn
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started suffering from health issues that were unexplained she was going in and out of the hospital but doctors
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couldn't figure out what it was that was ailing Lynn she was going to like doctor
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after doctor and then she'd call me and say they can't find anything wrong with me the defense argued that Lynn wanted
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to die by suicide because she was sick of being sick I remember hearing it from Jesse on the phone looks like Lynn you
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know committed suicide when you heard your auntie Lenny died by Suicide did you believe that I wasn't
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really sure at the time what to believe cuz you know I just couldn't see her you
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know ending her own life she wants to die she doesn't like life the speculation at the time on law
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enforcement's behalf was that this was clearly a suicide you received information from the medical examiner
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did that cause the Sheriff's Office to change their investigation yes there was a substance that was
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unusual the medical examiner found tetrahydrozoline in linar system it's the active ingredient in eye
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drops that when ingested can be fatal my opinion is that Lyn hernon died of tetrah hydraline poisoning what about
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the manner of death in this case it's homicide a ker is the eye drops are you serious do you guys think I murdered her
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did you I swear to God I in June of 2021 Jesse kvi was charged with first-degree
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intentional homicide the state argued that Linn hearnen was worth more dead than alive to Jesse keski you're going
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to see that the access Miss kesi had to Linn hearnen allowed her to steal every dollar almost that Linn hernon was worth
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in life Lynn gave Jesse money all the time because she wanted to she wanted Jesse to have it this is not a suicide
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this was intentional homicide Lynn love Jesse if Lyn Hern was here today she would say are you crazy prosecution
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Jess's innocent [Music] [Music] [Music] this case must be decided by you the jurors based on the evidence presented
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in the courtroom you jurors are the judges of The credibility of the Witnesses and the weight of the
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evidence in October of 2023 in the courtroom of Judge Jennifer Doro 39-year-old Jesse keski went on trial
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for the intentional homicide of 62-year-old Lynn hearnen along with two counts of felony theft for stealing from
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Lynn someone who'd always thought of Jesse as a beloved friend 5 years earlier Jesse called
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police and told them she found Lynn dead sitting in her recliner in the living room of her Pewaukee Wisconsin condo
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Jesse had been taken care of Lynn who had serious medical problems the lawyers will now make their
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opening statements good afternoon everyone the prosecutors for wakaa County our Deputy
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district attorney Abby Nikolai and assistant District Attorneys JJ Crawford and Randy sitser so this is Wisconsin
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versus Jesse keski said otherwise this is a case of murder greed and lies you're going to see that in or about
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October 3rd 2018 ly hernon became worth more dead than alive to Jesse keski prosecutors told the jury that
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this case was about someone who wanted money Stephanie Rodriguez covered the trial for the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee
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and prosecutors said that that's why she was caring for her not because she genuinely cared but that Jesse wanted
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the money in her bank account between January of 16 and October 3rd of 2018 Miss keski was able to steal
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$144,000 plus from Lyn hearnen while she was still alive and then she wanted Lynn
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dead to get the money from her estate Lyn hernon was dead at only 62 years old from a Tetra hydraline poisoning after
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the defendant gave her a bottle laced with vising ey drops to drink but the defense presented Jesse as
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a close friend who took care of Lynn who they claimed was depressed about her declining Health this case is extremely
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important to Jesse she presumed innocent and don't ever let that thought leave your mind
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that she's Presumed Innocent at trial Jesse was represented by defense attorneys Pablo gaves and Donna hler
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here's a picture of Lyn and Jesse a graduation party that Lynn threw for Jesse High School At The Mention Of Her
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close relationship with Lynn this is my daughter she's so proud Jesse immediately teared up that's who Jesse
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is to her daughter Jesse had known Lynn since childhood through her mother Jennifer flower Jennifer is like her
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best best friend and Jesse became her best best friend Lynn who worked most of her life as a hairdresser never married
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and lived alone then in the 2 years before her death her health rapidly declined there were times where Lynn
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would fall in her home and Jesse would have to go and help her get up Lynn also had lung disease high blood pressure and
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severe gastrointestinal issues which doctors were never able to fully diagnose she had been in and out of the
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hospital several times in the year before she died Jesse was always with Lynn because she became her full-time
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caraker essentially Jesse would do the grocery shopping for Lynn Jesse paid Lynn's bills Jesse was the only person
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she trust the defense told the jury that as Lynn's Health further deteriorated she became despondent and you saw the
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way she was done up with the hair and nails and jewelry she didn't look like anymore she
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didn't want any more visitors cuz she didn't look in her mind the same the defense argued that on
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October 3rd of 2018 Lynn was tired of being sick and decided to take her own life when they arrived on the scene this
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is what they found at the scene they found a lot of empty prescription botles and they can't see that as a
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suicide she's innocent find her not guilty one of the first orders of business for
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prosecutors the state would next call Taba cukus was to establish the cause of death former wakasa County Deputy
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medical examiner Tabitha ccus talked to jurors about those pictures she took when she arrived at Lyn's condo this is
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a closeup of the medication bottles that were directly to her left there's additional medications that are present
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some without their caps on ccus had photographed multiple medications SC pattered on the carpet as well as a
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white powder on a plate and on hearn's chest defense attorney kler suggests the powder was spilled by Lynn herself Jesse
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told you it was common for Lynn to crush medications because of her problem swallowing that's what she told me
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jurors heard from chief medical examiner Dr Linda bitki who testified about those
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photos taken in Lyn's living room she said the pills and and powder scattered at the scene did point to a potential
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suicide there was a thought that maybe there was an ingestion was a possibility for the cause of death but before
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pronouncing the cause of death Dr bitki waited to see the results from the toxicology
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tests when she received them weeks later she was in for surprise there was a substance that I was um unusual an
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unusual finding that I hadn't seen in a report from their uh facility before it was uh called tetrah hydrosaline Dr
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britzky began her own research on tetrah hydraline a drug found in some over-the-counter ey drops this is a
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substance that I haven't seen in a toxicology report before it's not supposed to be in the blood but how did
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it get there Dr bisy were you involved in the cause of death and manner determination for lin hearnen yes
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medical examiner Dr Linda britzky told the jury it was in late September 2019 almost a year after Lyn hearn's death
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that she published her official conclusion about how Lynn died the cause of death I determined was
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tetrahydrozoline poisoning and Dr bitki ruled that Lynn did not deliberately drink a fatal dose of eye drops how this
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injury occurred is that she was given tetrah hydrosaline by another which is why I called it a homicide the belief
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that Linn hearnen was given tetrah hydrosaline by another shows that she was given this unsuspectingly she didn't
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know that she was inges tetrah hydrosaline when she did it the defense challenged the medical examiner's
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findings these are all the drugs that were found in Miss hernon Right correct toxicology reports showed that Lynn had
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at least eight prescription drugs in her system some of which Lynn was not supposed to be taking at the time
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because those medications had been discontinued by Lynn's doctors and these were all in her blood which means
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they've already been ingested and made it into the bloodstream true Dr bitki said that in her determination
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those medications along with some of Lynn's medical conditions contributed to but did not cause Lynn's death the
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medications found in Lynn's body were all at therapeutic levels your conclusion was that she died from the
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tetrah hydroline right that yes but the defense asked how could the medical examiner be
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so certain Lynn did not ingest the ey drops on her own you don't know as you sit there today whether
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she voluntarily adjusted that it was my opinion she didn't but knowledge of her action no well you
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weren't there I wasn't there on redirect Deputy da Nikolai asked about the powder found on and near
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ly's body what do you think happened I think that they may have been deposited there the medical examiner believed that
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Lyn hearn's body was staged to look like an overdose because toxicology reports showed that none of the crushed up
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medication that was found on Lyn hearnen and next to her was actually in her system the following day state may call
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your next witness the jury heard from some of Lynn's friends did you know Lyn hearnen yes
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head Jim kellerer met Lynn at a music festival in 1983 when she was 27 what was your first impression that lady that
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looked that good wouldn't go out with me but Lyn said yes and their romantic relationship lasted 10 years even after
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it ended they remained close friends Lynn was a beautiful lady inside now she was beautiful Jim says he never met
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Jesse until right after Lynn died I get a phone call from Jesse and she says I have some bad
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news Lynn committed suicide and by the way uh we're going to have a dinner for her on the 13th at the
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Open Flame Restaurant she said in one sentence correct your dear friend died by Suicide right the next sentence she
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tells you there's going to be a dinner in her memory right what did you make of that well I kind of didn't believe her
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right off the bat she wasn't crying on the stand Jim said he didn't believe believe Lynn would have taken her own
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life did you ever hear Lynn say anything to you about thinking of killing herself
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no I did not she never never gave me the indication of suicidal never he said that despite her growing frustration
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with her health problems Lynn would still visit him and his girlfriend at their home she'd bring treats and stuff
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she would say she does stomach aches or whatever and she would always leave but the defense questioned whether Jim
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really knew much about Lynn's Health struggles in the last year of Lyn's life she'd been in and out of the hospital
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discharged the final time just 5 days before her death did you offer to go over there and take care of our cat when
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she was in the hospital no I did not you didn't go visit her no I did not prosecutors also called Ken posa we
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were best friends for about 35 plus years and Ken's son Anthony who says he always had a special bond with with Lynn
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since childhood what did you call Lynn uh Auntie Lenny Anthony says he stayed close to Lyn regularly dropping by her
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condo while he attended College nearby I'd Lov doing stuff with her you know thrift store shopping and that was a
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date we would go on as go thrift store shopping do you recall when the last conversation you had with Lynn was the
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last time I saw Lynn was a month before she passed away Anthony testified that despite her medical troubles Lynn
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appeared to be improving she said she was starting to feel better and she's like I'm fin you I'm glad I'm getting
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out again and you know we need to do this more often prosecutors asked wakashaw County Sheriff's Detective
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Chris Cole about his investigation into Lynn's death did you speak with Miss keski in regard to this death
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investigation yes she contacted our office looking for an update prosecutors introduced video of
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that meeting with Detective Cole he testified that 5 months after Lynn died before the medical examiner had ruled on
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the cause of death Jesse came to the Sheriff's Department with her mother Jennifer flower asking questions you
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know when I talked to the medical examiner last um well I talked to numerous times and they said I had to
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contact you guys they kind of like weren't sure we didn't know if it was a suicide or if it was something medical
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so at this point I mean they're waiting for their their secondary the come confirming test during that interview
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detective Cole found out more about Jesse's relationship with Lynn so she was like an aunt a second mom to me she
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didn't have kids she her your whole life and that's kind and that's why you helping her out Jesse said she was just
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about the only person still in Lynn's life before she died she pretty much blew everybody off hospital at the end
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so know I don't want to see any according to Jesse and her mother Lynn was so withdrawn she did not want to
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talk to her friend Jim when he called and she said do not tell him I don't want him here I don't want to see him
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she didn't like the way she look to she people around but that's not how Jim remembers what happened when he and his
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girlfriend called Lynn's number well this girl answered the phone and she was kind of mouthing off to us don't use his
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phone don't call his number ever again don't worry about Lynn and you're thinking what I'm going to find out from
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Lynn what's going on a few days later Jim says Lynn called him from the hospital and they agreed to
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make plans to get together when she went home and that's the last time that I heard Lynn's
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voice as they tried to make sense of her death Lynn's friends say they recalled Lynn talking about something else that
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was trou troubling her something that had nothing to do with her health you know she would talk about her money and
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it's disappearing she just said I don't know what's happening to my money how do you think Lyn hernon died
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chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and [Music] X did Miss keski tell you who would be
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in charge of Lind estate yeah she said she was appointed power of attorney okay as the
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prosecution turned to the charges that Jesse stole money from Lynn they asked Anthony posa about his Communications
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with Jesse and the months after Lynn's death I we just check up with Jesse every once in a while via text and ask
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her if she needed any help Lynn left a will she had drawn up in 2016 which named Jesse as personal representative
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Wisconsin's equivalent of an executive Jesse and Anthony were co- beneficiaries when Jesse sent Anthony some paperwork
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of account she was settling I just remember getting a final account with just a bunch of credit card bills he was
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surprised at the amount of money Lynn appeared to owe and it was just weird how she had all these deaths that just
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didn't make any sense to me Lynn's friends remembered her as living paycheck to paycheck until
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2014 when she inherited $250,000 after her mother died now after Lynn's death Jesse reported to Anthony
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that most of Lynn's assets had been eaten Away by debt I just felt like something was up and I wanted it looked
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at more closely the jury next heard from someone who was looking more closely you
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went through all these Financial accounts sort of line by line is that correct yes
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Detective Nathan plenis testified about the investigation into Lynn's finances prosecutors alleged Jesse stole more
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than $200,000 from Lynn before and after she died and in the course of their investigation detectives discovered a
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bombshell Jesse keski had a criminal record back in 2011 Jesse was convicted on charges of identity theft and for
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fory and sentenced to 8 years Jesse had been released from prison early in 2016 on extended supervision which coincided
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with the time Lynn's Health began to decline can you just scroll down to page uh three plenis told jurors what he
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learned about Lynn hearn's bank accounts he testified that Lynn's money market account which had around
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$250,000 in 2016 was down to only $87 just after she died a fraction of the total was spent by Lynn on a Jeep
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and some jewelry almost everything else including a total of 20 checks $913 562 went to Jesse keski two checks March
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13th $ 7,330 87 9,416 Jesse was accused of stealing from Lynn because she was getting 20 checks
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out of Lyn hernan's account with caring things in the memo notes like IRS payment car payment Stephanie Rodriguez
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covered the trial for the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee but none of the money was going to the places where Lynn
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supposedly intended for them to go fennis described to the jury how he matched each of those checks to deposits
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in Jesse's accounts and then tracked where Jesse spent that money there was a big spike in spending while Lynn was in
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the hospital two weeks before she died during her last hospital State money was being transferred from Lynn's account
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into Jesse's account and then Jesse was withdrawing that money from ATMs at a local
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casino plen is also testified that on the day that Lynn died a JC Penney credit card was opened in Lynn's name
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just Days Later a $3,000 purchase of furniture made on another credit card in Lynn's name was delivered to the home
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Jesse shared with Scott Craig Mr Craig how is it you know Miss keski we were boyfriend and girlfriend for 3 and a
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half years what was it that happened in the summer of 2019 that caused that end to the
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relationship um when walk sha Sheriff's apartment came to my house and took her away Jesse was arrested for potentially
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violating the terms of her supervised release on those identity theft and fraud charges this is the initial
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interview that was conducted with Miss keski uh once the warrants were conducted on July 9th detective Aaron
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Hoppy the lead investigator in the case and Detective Chris Cole interviewed Jesse hoppy watched portions of that
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interview along with the jurors typically would you go there the morning or the night I didn't have a set it just
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depended how she was doing the day before following up on their suspicions that Jesse had been stealing from
00:24:59
Detective Chris Cole gave her a chance to explain she claimed Lynn had been paying her for helping at home it an
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official Arrangement that Mak $20 an hour no there was nothing no nothing like that I mean there was no you know
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one day oh here's the check one day here's my card go get this one day I mean it was no no
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set bance no I mean she help all she told my mom all this month I'm going to pay rent or I'm going to pay your car
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jurors watched as detective Cole for the first time shared Lynn's autopsy results
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with Jesse there's an anomaly in her toxicology there's a drug in her system that's not supposed to be there and what
00:25:41
would that be um it's called tetr hydrazine what is that a com know as eye drops she use eye drops all the time
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what does she use them for she use them for her eyes she put her eyes all the time a ker is the eye drops are you
00:25:56
serious in the interview detective Cole told Jesse that the medical examiner thought someone gave the eye drops to
00:26:04
Lynn orally in an attempt to kill her do you guys think I murdered her did you I
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swear to God I could want have the most to gain on this I have no reason to murder her I didn't
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give her anything I didn't give her this ey drop or whatever it's called but detectives say Jesse knew all
00:26:24
about tetrah hydraline she told her boyfriend Scott in text messages someone had put it in her drink when she was at
00:26:32
a bar about 3 months after Lynn's death this detective hoppy read the texts in court Jesse to Scott Scott I don't feel
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good Scott told detectives that Jesse said she went to the hospital they said my blood pressure is really bad I have
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traces of tetrah hydroline in my blood the doctor said that's the main ingredient in ey drops he said that
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people put it in people's drinks all the time he said there's no taste to it and
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people don't notice Jesse also tells Scott in those text messages that people can die from tetrah hydrosaline
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[Music] poisoning detective happy I think you testified you spoke again with Miss
00:27:28
keski that's right on day nine of the trial the jury watched video of another interview between Jesse and detectives
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this one took place the day after she was arrested on that parole hold she had asked to speak to detectives again I was
00:27:45
up all night long trying to think of everything I think I was thinking of the bines after spending her first night in
00:27:51
jail Jesse's clothing had changed and so had her story right after her arrest Jesse had told detectives that Lynn used
00:28:01
eye drops for dry eyes now Jesse told detective hoppy that Lynn had another use for it she was drinking vodka and
00:28:09
Visine during the second day of interviews with detectives the jury heard Jesse tell them that Lynn did
00:28:16
drink Visine how do you know she had mixed Visine with with her vka because that's what she
00:28:22
did she's done it about three times why didn't you tell us that yesterday because I didn't want to tell you guys
00:28:28
because you guys are making it sound like it happen the day of and that's not when she was doing that but Jesse says
00:28:34
she never gave Lyn hernon any Visine put the V so she put Visine in her V then Jesse
00:28:43
went further Jesse goes into detail about how Lynn wanted to die by Suicide that Lynn was using the eye drops to
00:28:51
help her die by Suicide she was looking for her way out Jesse vehemently denied helping
00:28:59
bought it I never mixed it I swear to God I bought it for her and I knew she was mixing it she put it in her water
00:29:05
once in a while and in her a while the following day Jesse asked to speak with the detectives yet again the third time
00:29:14
in 3 days the jury watched as Jesse had a new revelation for the investigators Jesse tells detectives that Lynn would
00:29:22
get a buzz off of drinking Visine since she lost like feeling every her body at be her feel good and honestly she was
00:29:29
doing for so long that I didn't think she was going to die from it it really didn't I thought okay she's getting some
00:29:34
sleep from it that's it she was doing for two months at least what the Visine and Jesse now said that Lynn actually
00:29:41
did drink Visine the day she died Jesse claimed that when she visited Lynn that morning Jesse knew that Lynn had poured
00:29:49
six bottles of Visine into her own water bottle that bottle of water right there
00:29:55
had in six six I didn't put it in there I gave her the bottle of water which is the one you know has six bottles of ice
00:30:03
in it cuz she told you and you give it to her well we argued about it Jesse said she spent 10
00:30:12
minutes trying to stop L she said no I want that bottle of water it'll put me to sleep and then you gave in yeah it's
00:30:19
her choice and what she want and then you left Y hours later detectives alleged Jesse opened that JC Penny card
00:30:28
in Lynn's name and went grocery shopping I didn't do it to her though I didn't Jesse it would be 23 months later that
00:30:39
Jesse keski was charged with Lynn's death does the state have any other witnesses to call no the state
00:30:49
rest when it was the defense's turn Jesse's attorneys focused almost solely on their claim that Lynn died by Suicide
00:30:58
by drinking Visine we would call Gary verden verden a friend of Jesse's mother call her Jenny or Jennifer A Car Jenny
00:31:06
said he'd been in Lynn's condo twice the second time about a year before her death yet his memory of the visit was
00:31:15
clear I saw her always sitting in this uh chair with a table next to her she had um white slurpie cup uh straw coming
00:31:25
out of it she had a bottle of vodka next with she had a ashtray her cigarettes and a bottle of Visine you sure it's
00:31:35
Visine yes verden testified that on another occasion he heard Lynn on speaker phone when he visited Jesse's
00:31:44
mother Jennifer well ly just started rambling off and she was either sleepy or tired or whatever but and she was uh
00:31:54
rattling off about the will then she started talking about how she wanted to kill
00:32:02
herself defense calls on Sarah Chun Sarah Trump is a nurse practitioner who began treating Lynn for back pain in
00:32:11
2017 despite prescribing several pain medications for her Trump said Lynn did not improve in 2018 January she
00:32:21
continues to complain about her back pain yes the pain being worsening correct yes forensic pathologist Dr
00:32:30
Lindsay Thomas was hired by the defense I would say her past medical history was
00:32:36
very significant she had a very long list of medical conditions and uh also had quite a few psychiatric disorders
00:32:48
depression anxiety agoraphobia which is fear of public places chronic insomnia those were the the ones that
00:32:58
were listed in her medical records Dr Thomas testified she agreed with the state's conclusion that Lyn's medical
00:33:06
problems contributed to her death she did not agree with the state's finding that Lynn died from tetrah hydraline
00:33:14
poisoning the forensic pathologist that the defense brought up said that Lynn's cause of death was undetermined but she
00:33:20
believed it was mixed drug toxicity and so that means she thought that it was a combination of all of the drugs found in
00:33:27
Lin system would you say that there is strong evidence here that Lin hernan's death was a suicide uh I would say
00:33:36
there's strong evidence that certainly could have been a suicide yes as the defense concluded Judge
00:33:43
Jennifer Doro asked Jesse if she'd be taking the stand what is that decision it was very hard for me to decide but
00:33:51
ultimately I will not be testified Madam reporter here he her closing argument Miss K's intent is
00:34:00
clear it was to kill Deputy district attorney Abby Nikolai said Jesse had just one motive money and the motive is
00:34:10
our own personal benefit this is someone who has profited over $144,000 before death and over 80,000
00:34:19
after in her closing state has not proven a first-degree intentional homicide defense attorney donna kler
00:34:27
maintained that Lynn took her own life Jesse knew that Lynn would take fine drink it but she doesn't know how she
00:34:36
died that day looked like a suicide with pills from a person who was unhappy as for the allegations that Jesse stole
00:34:45
from Lynn Lynn gave Jesse money all the time because she wanted to the defense contended that Lynn gave Jesse the money
00:34:55
because Lynn knew she was going to end her own life she wanted Jesse to have it she knows she's going out and Lynn made
00:35:03
a decision she made a decision that she was going to exit and she did that on October 3rd
00:35:12
once Jesse had left the home attorney Nikolai when you're ready in its rebuttal the prosecution pushed back to
00:35:20
believe that this was a suicide you would have to believe that by the most Cosmic intervention in the
00:35:27
entire world World it happened at the exact point in time when Miss keski maximized the amount of
00:35:37
money that she made on this whole ordeal the jury deliberated for 7 hours the first day but did not reach a
00:35:47
verdict verdict watch for this case was tense when the jury began to deliberate into a second day there was some Wonder
00:35:55
that's when I got worried I was wondering what you know I'm like you know what's the the hold
00:35:59
[Music] up go behind the scenes with the 48 Hours postmortem [Music] podcast Madam forers has the jury
00:36:17
reached their verdicts yes your honor on November 14th of 2023 after 10 and 1 half hours of
00:36:25
deliberation Jesse cette steadied herself as Judge Jennifer Doro read the jury's verdicts we the jury find the
00:36:34
defendant Jesse R kfki guilty of first-degree intentional homicide case from anyone Jessie broke
00:36:44
down as the judge continued Jesse was crying uncontrollably keski was also convicted
00:36:51
on the two counts of felony theft for stealing money from Lynn before and after she
00:36:58
died I was just overcome with emotion it also makes you reflect on The Last 5 Years and with the lies and the deceit
00:37:05
but before sentencing the case took a bizarre turn when an envelope containing 37 pages of these handwritten letters
00:37:15
and documents was received by a friend of Jesse's who then turned it over to the Sheriff's Department the letter
00:37:23
requests a friend of Jesse to fake evidence create a voice recorder ing pretending to be Lyn hearnen to send all
00:37:30
of this to the judge in this case to local media even to the governor to try to prove Jesse's innocence prosecutors
00:37:37
said the documents were written by keski on the back of her trial notes giving directions to her friend on how to
00:37:45
impersonate Lynn and fabricate materials and submit them to the court keski allegedly asked her friend to quote make
00:37:54
a voice tape pretending to be Lyn writing she has an older raspy female voice keski allegedly directed her
00:38:03
friend to say quote I cannot go on anymore I chose to drink Visine and end My Life Jesse denied writing the
00:38:12
documents and the sheriff's department began an investigation into their origin and the results of that
00:38:21
investigation were revealed on April 5th 2024 when keski was Back back in judge D's court for sentencing all right
00:38:32
prosecutors played video recorded in K's bunk room at the wakashaw county jail a
00:38:38
few days before those documents were turned over to authorities so what I'm playing is jail video from Miss K's pod
00:38:48
they said it showed keski putting papers into an envelope leaving it on the bed of another inmate who later takes it to
00:38:56
a mail drop off the prosecution said this proved keski wrote those documents miss keski this is
00:39:04
your opportunity to address the court what if anything would you like to say keski again denied she was the author of
00:39:13
those documents she spent almost two hours without a break proclaiming her innocence insisting the only thing she
00:39:21
was guilty of was being a loyal friend let's be very clear here there was no murder I did not commit murder I did not
00:39:29
poison Lynn give her pills or anything else it is a lot to be accused and convicted of murder when I didn't do it
00:39:37
you're holding me responsible for what she did Judge Doro said she believed Lynn's death was premeditated Tetra
00:39:45
hydraline was not something we expected to find and I do believe it was something you m kfy banked on no one
00:39:59
testing for I have to ask out loud it's in a rhetorical question but were you poisoning Lynn hearnen all
00:40:09
along following your release from prison no I'm not asking for an answer this is my time so do not interrupt me
00:40:20
keski was sentenced to life in prison on the intentional homicide charge and 10 years for the two theft
00:40:28
charges the soonest she could be paroled would be after 40 years when she would be nearly 80 years
00:40:37
old Jesse poisoned Lynn like she was eroded Lyn Hearn and's friend Jim kellerer had a few final words for
00:40:47
Lynn's killer the devil awaits you I hope you rotten hell Lyn Hearn is an angel in heaven may you rest in peace
00:40:55
Lynn you're dearly missed and always will be I'm so very sorry God [Music] [Music]
00:41:23
bless a beautiful heart a gentle gentle spirit a woman found dying from a gunshot wound crime scene evidence that
00:41:30
doesn't add up there's definitely Mysteries involved in this case then prosecutors take a creative approach a
00:41:36
psychological autopsy 48 hours Saturday on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus [Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 85
    Most heartbreaking
  • 85
    Biggest twist
  • 80
    Most shocking
  • 80
    Most unpredictable

Episode Highlights

  • The Trial of Jesse Keski
    Jesse Keski stands trial for the intentional homicide of Lynn Hearnan, who died under suspicious circumstances.
    “This is a case of murder, greed, and lies.”
    @ 06m 05s
    April 26, 2024
  • Unusual Findings
    Medical examiner discovers tetrahydrozoline, an eye drop ingredient, in Lynn's system, leading to homicide ruling.
    “The cause of death I determined was tetrahydrozoline poisoning.”
    @ 12m 04s
    April 26, 2024
  • Financial Motive
    Prosecutors allege Jesse stole over $200,000 from Lynn before and after her death, raising questions about her intentions.
    “Lynn's money market account was down to only $87 just after she died.”
    @ 22m 29s
    April 26, 2024
  • Jesse's Arrest and Interrogation
    Detective Cole confronts Jesse with evidence of Lynn's poisoning, leading to emotional denials.
    “Do you guys think I murdered her?”
    @ 26m 08s
    April 26, 2024
  • Trial Verdict
    After 10.5 hours of deliberation, Jesse is found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide.
    “We the jury find the defendant Jesse R. guilty of first-degree intentional homicide.”
    @ 36m 37s
    April 26, 2024
  • Sentencing
    Jesse is sentenced to life in prison for murder and additional years for theft.
    “Keski was sentenced to life in prison on the intentional homicide charge.”
    @ 40m 20s
    April 26, 2024

Episode Quotes

  • Lynn was really sick and depressed.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode
  • I just couldn't see her ending her own life.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode
  • This is not a suicide, this was intentional homicide.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode
  • She was given this unsuspectingly.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode
  • I didn't do it to her though I didn't.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode
  • The devil awaits you. I hope you rotten hell.
    Death by Eye Drops | Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Intentional Homicide00:30
  • Suicide Speculation02:24
  • Close Relationships07:49
  • Medical Findings11:15
  • Financial Investigation21:35
  • Emotional Denial26:10
  • Guilty Verdict36:37
  • Life Sentence40:20

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown