Jessy Kurczewski learns her fate in court on Nov. 14, 2023. (Law&Crime Network)
A 39-year-old Wisconsin woman slowly murdered a wealthy friend with an inordinate amount of eyedrops several years ago, a jury of her peers in Waukesha County determined on Tuesday afternoon.
Jessy Kurczewski sobbed as the verdict was read aloud in the courtroom, in a case overseen by Judge Jennifer R. Dorow.
After just shy of 10 hours and 49 minutes of deliberating, 12 Badger State jurors determined Kurczewski bore culpability for the death of Lynn Hernan, 62, who was found at home dead on Oct. 3, 2018. In addition to murder in the first degree, Kurczewski was found guilty on two counts of theft of moveable property over $10,000 but less than $100,000.
The defendant herself made the 911 call that day.
The criminal complaint noted the presence of “a large amount of crushed medication on her chest and a plate directly to the left of her with a large amount of what appeared to be crushed up medication still on the plate,” while describing the victim’s deathbed.
Kurczewski told police various versions of a story about how her friend died. The first version began with the discovery of the Pewaukee woman’s “unconscious and not breathing” body on a recliner and the subsequent emergency call she made.
That sufficed – but not for long.
The initial overdose determination was overturned when police later learned Hernan died from a fatal dose of Tetrahydrozoline, the main ingredient in eye drops. A subsequent homicide investigation resulted in Kurczewski being arrested for murder on June 4, 2021.
In response to the new findings, Kurczewski told investigators Hernan “was ‘known’ for eye drops and that she purchased them in great volume and there would be bottles and boxes from eye drops all over the residence,” according to the criminal complaint.
The defendant also explained away the crushed-up pills that were on the dead woman and near her reclining deathbed.
“Kurczewski offered that [the victim] must have staged her own suicide with the crushed pills because Kurczewski maintained that she did not,” the complaint reads. “Kurczewski then says [Hernan] had been trying to kill herself by drinking Visine in vodka. Kurczewski said [the victim] would try different doses in water bottles or vodka and she would get very sick.”
At some point, however, the defendant’s story allegedly changed again. This time, Kurczewski allegedly admitted her friend’s death was something more like a begrudging case of assisted suicide.
“Kurczewski said her and [victim] fought about it for an hour prior to Kurczewski leaving the residence that morning and she finally gave in and gave the water bottle with 6 Visine bottles in it to [victim],” the complaint goes on. “Kurczewski said it was ‘her choice.””
Defense efforts centered on the argument that Hernan was, in fact, obsessed with consuming eyedrops; that Kurczewski genuinely cared for her friend; and that she was just trying to ease her suffering.
But an additional wrinkle for the defendant – which made up the major motive advanced by the state – was the victim’s finances.
Prosecutors alleged that Kurczewski’s spending increased significantly after she began spending time with Hernan. Those spending habits, police claim, were buoyed and only made possibly by Kurczewski transferring more than $100,000 of her friend’s money into her own bank account. According to the complaint, Kurczewski defrauded the victim of $290,210.06 total and was in control of her estate.
In the end, jurors agreed with law enforcement.
The defendant’s sentencing date was set for Dec. 7. Neither the state nor the defense requested a presentencing investigation. Victim impact statements may be featured via Zoom, the judge said.
Kurczewski’s sobs were audible as the proceedings ended.
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