Doctoring the Truth
Welcome to Doctoring the Truth, a podcast where two dedicated audiologists dissect the world of healthcare gone rogue. Explore jaw-dropping stories of medical malfeasance, nefariousness, and shocking breaches of trust. The episodes provide deep dives that latch onto your curiosity and conscience. It's a podcast for truth-seekers craving true crime, clinical insights, and a dash of humor.
Doctoring the Truth
Ep 32-Lethal Obsession: A Nurse's Deadly Revenge
When 24-year-old Michelle Herndon was found dead in her Gainesville home, nothing seemed immediately amiss. No signs of struggle, no forced entry – just a vibrant young woman inexplicably gone. But a single empty bathroom trash can would unravel a disturbing case of obsession, betrayal, and medical knowledge turned deadly.
This case stands as a haunting reminder of how specialized knowledge can become weaponized in the hands of someone with wounded pride and access to dangerous tools. After a trial presenting overwhelming evidence including DNA matches and traced hospital medications, O'Quinn received life without parole – justice served, though nothing could restore the bright life extinguished by his narcissistic revenge.
If this story resonates with you, please share it with others who appreciate true crime narratives that explore the darker intersections of medicine and human behavior. Subscribe to hear more stories where trust is broken in the most unexpected and devastating ways.
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Amanda Jenna, hi you. Hey, I've got to ask you are you feeling better this week? You were kind of Do I sound better? You sound amazing, but not as sexy, just saying.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the baritone situation is gone, I feel so good.
Speaker 1:Dana's Joplin Gravely business was like as Amanda yeah.
Speaker 2:I can't go that low anymore.
Speaker 1:You're really getting down into the base register. That means you're better. That means you're better. Welcome back. Thank you To the better.
Speaker 2:Thank you to everyone for bearing through my gravel voice listen, are you enjoying our second summer? No, I'm not actually. Thank you for asking.
Speaker 1:I hate it it was freaking 90 degrees yesterday. I got all my sweaters out. Now I'm like the heck. It was 88 yesterday, or 89 yesterday and 88 today. What the heck.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was literally complaining about it all weekend. I was like this sucks, what is happening? I like bought ingredients for soup season and I'm like this is ridiculous. I hate it. Please fall, come.
Speaker 1:You're like pumpkin spice, pumpkin mice. Get out of here, get out of here, get out of here.
Speaker 2:I did buy cans of pumpkin too.
Speaker 1:Yes For our UK listeners, because we do have a lot of UK listeners. I love you guys. What is that Like in the 30s? 30 Celsius, double it, now 30. Yeah, it's in the 30s, it's in the 30s, so hot, we're talking hot, hot, hot. So we're talking sick. Yeah, we're just getting in the mood, just getting the mood for pumpkin, spice, candles and spooky season, and here we are summering away. You know what? I'm gonna regret every single thing that I've said. In about a month I'm going to be like Amanda, amanda, what the hell.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when it starts snowing.
Speaker 1:I want open window season. Let's can we do a crisp 60s to early 70s please?
Speaker 2:Like I'm not ready for the snow, but can we have like just, can we just like turn the dial down on the heat a little bit, please, sick of it. There's this guy that I saw on TikTok and he is like there's just something about this crisp fall air and he's like and when you stomp on a crunchy leaf, like I don't know, he's like saying it like all surfboarder guy. It's really funny. But I was like, yes, sir yeah, and they.
Speaker 1:We also have a lot of walnut trees in our backyard and so if you go outside you hear a lot of I don't know if you can hear that listeners, listeners but it's teeth grinding on things and that would be the crickles, as my kids call them forever. I mean, my kids are adults now, but they used to say crickles, so we always say crickles. The crickles are chewing on the walnuts and then they hide them everywhere, and occasionally they'll gift them to us by putting it on the center door or by the car, and it's like oh cute, you're welcome for the corn cobs that we gave you anything else new.
Speaker 2:I was gonna. I just had a like memory of something completely unrelated, but remember that animal swimming that you sent last night in a text I don't remember what it's called oh, the ocelot, oh yeah, ocelot. I was at a school today and, like kids, have their artwork hanging all over like the walls and their lockers and stuff, and one of them collared one of those I forgot I was gonna send a picture of it to you, oxaletto, it's not crazy.
Speaker 1:I mean, they come from one like pond in South America somewhere, and my daughter, who knows more than I care to acknowledge about animals, she said that if you raise them the wrong way, they turn into lizards. So, like I think they're not, they're not meant to stay where they are. Goodness, they are the craziest looking little things and they're so dumb you can't put them in with other animals or rocks or anything, or they'll accidentally eat them and die. Oh my.
Speaker 1:They look that dumb. Yeah, we were at a, so my daughter turned 18 and we were at a long story short. We were at a tattoo parlor that apparently the security guard was an ocelot old named deet no, dude, his name was dude and it was this huge tank and he was just like a little puppy, just like like strolling along in his tank from a to b making sure that people who came in were legit. You'd follow your finger like so cute it was kind of cute.
Speaker 2:At first I was like, oh, only a face a mother could love. And then like his body turned and it like had an eel tail and I was like what the is happening? Why is it a lizard and an eel, like it is?
Speaker 1:it. It looks like a committee got together and made a mistake. Is what it looks like it does?
Speaker 2:it certainly does anyway, that's anyway, dang, I forgot I was gonna do that. It was so cute. It was cuter than the one in the tank, because the one in the tank was like icky real life colors and this one was like blue and green.
Speaker 1:It was cute murky colors yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So correction guys our audio from last week.
Speaker 2:I did post on social media that the original published version was pulled and then Jenna worked very hard to quickly get that rectified and then I posted again when the new version was live. So if you listened to the jumbled track, sorry, technology did what technology wanted to do. But go back and try again. Jenna had explained that if you guys have automatic downloads which I do, and so some of you may as well, which we love, but your version will stay the jumbled version, unless you go back and un-download it and then re-download it, Then you will get the fixed version. Did I say that correctly?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you did Absolutely, absolutely, and my apologies, I don't know what happened. The jumbled fairy came and visited and we learned about it after the fact. So thank you for those of you who let us know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if you guys ever see anything like that, we are happy to go back and fix it. We just human out here, so just let us know. But before we jump into our story, I needed to talk about one of our sponsors who is very important to me, especially because, you know, I'm back to work now. I'm just like a working gal, working girl. So I'm just a working girl. How does Sabrina Carpenter say A busy woman? I'm a busy woman right now.
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Speaker 2:Strong Coffee Company emphasizes eco-friendly practices, quick delivery and exceptional taste, making its coffee both a convenient and nutritious part of a daily routine for busy professionals seeking a healthier, more productive day. Visit strongcoffeecompanycom to receive 20% off your order with our exclusive code STAYSUSPICIOUS S-T-A-Y-S-U-S-P-I-C-I-O-U-S STAYSUSPICIOUS Nice, I'm like. Is it illegal to always be Tom in that tomb, I don't know. Okay, well, we still aren't doing Jolly Jane. So, honestly, just forget that that was ever a thing, and I'll surprise you when that happens. The resources for today's episode will be in the show notes, and when you mentioned that your daughter was an animal lover earlier, it reminded me of this gal I'm going to talk about. So shall we? We shall, okay, there's no trigger warnings lover.
Speaker 1:Earlier it reminded me of this gal.
Speaker 2:I'm going to talk about. So shall we, we shall, okay, there's no trigger warnings, I guess, unless you've had like a stalker before oh my goodness well, okay, not even really a stalker, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Let's get into it okay can't wait michelle herndon was born on july 15th 1981, and grew up in Live Oak, florida on a 100-acre family farm. She lived there with her older brother and parents. Michelle's mother, belinda, said when Michelle was first born I didn't really know what to do with a girl already having a boy. But her dad fell right into the role, calling her his little princess.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:I know Michelle always wanted to be outside and was a lover of animals. She wanted to save any animal that she found on the side of the road, wanting to bring them home and foster them. Oh boy, belinda shared that their home was, admittedly, a bit of a zoo from time to time, understood that she had, yes, yep, I feel that yeah can relate. Yes, but michelle had such a compassionate heart and by middle school, michelle decided that her dream was to study primates and eventually go to africa to live among the gorillas which I was like that is so cool.
Speaker 2:Wow, dream big girl. Her future seemed bright and wide open, though michelle was fighting a private battle. She suffered from debilitating migraines that frequently left her bedridden. She had tried nearly everything in search of relief. Doctors prescribed her medicines, but they offered only fleeting help. She experimented with herbal remedies and made repeated trips to medical offices hoping for any answers, but nothing worked, unfortunately, but Michelle was the type of person who kept going anyway. Michelle graduated high school in June of 1999 and moved to Gainesville, florida, to attend the University of.
Speaker 2:Florida, just two weeks after graduation.
Speaker 1:Go Gators, my alma mater, sorry.
Speaker 2:Go Gators.
Speaker 1:Go Gators.
Speaker 2:She worked as a personal trainer. Sorry, she worked as a personal trainer while attending school to help pay tuition. She loved running and had the company of a dog that she named Duke Duke and he was a Weimaraner. He was a good boy. Oh, she also had a great relationship with a man named Jason and a best friend named Jessica. Those closest to her were aware of her migraines and supported her in any way that they could. If Michelle could feel that a migraine was coming on while she was driving, she would like call Jessica, notify her. Like hey, are you going to be available? This is starting to come on, I'm driving. And like, if it becomes unsafe to drive, can you come get me? So, like everyone knew they were all very supportive and like good on her for like'm not gonna be safe soon.
Speaker 2:Someone come get me yeah yeah, she continued to try pain relievers, rest, caffeine to open her blood vessels and other herbal remedies, but again, no relief. By 2005 she was wrapping up her college courses and her and Jason were making big plans for their future together Cutie pies. On the night of November 10th 2005, jason became increasingly worried because he could not get a hold of Michelle. She wasn't answering her phone or returning his calls, and it had been some time since he had heard from her. He drove to her house and found that her car was there and duke was inside the house frantically barking whenever he approached.
Speaker 2:When he called her phone, he could hear it ringing from outside he called her mom to see if she was by chance with her or knew where she was, and explained what was happening. Belinda said no, you know, I'm at home in Live Oak and she believed Michelle to be in Gainesville. Jason told Belinda I'm going to call the police and you know I'll call you if I have an update. So Belinda then began calling Michelle's phone every five minutes, eventually decided just to get in her own car and head to Gainesville.
Speaker 1:I mean as a mama, you would do that, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Like I can't imagine that stress.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:My baby. When Belinda arrived, she found Michelle's home surrounded by yellow police tape and many police cars. Jason and Jessica were sitting on his tailgate crying. A detective approached Belinda and after exchanging who they both were, he said, quote I'm so sorry to share this with you, but Michelle was found deceased. End quote. Oh, it took me a minute. I couldn't think of what deceased meant and after I realized I fell to the ground. She said oh, my gosh.
Speaker 1:Oh, poor mama.
Speaker 2:There were no signs of a struggle, no forced entry, no visible trauma to her body. The house itself appeared tidy. At first glance, there was no reason why a healthy 24-year-old woman would be dead, and because of this her home was treated as a crime scene. They thought if someone possibly had something to do with her death, it must be someone close to her, someone that could gain access to the home, leave it locked. When they left, detective Michael Douglas promised Belinda that he would find out what happened to her daughter.
Speaker 2:Michelle's body was immediately sent for autopsy and the results were received later the next day. The autopsy revealed that there were no obvious external factors for her death. She did not die from an aneurysm, heart failure. Basically, she did not die from natural causes. The medical examiner did note a needle mark on her left arm. She thought that it appeared to be to have been made by someone with medical training, because there was no redness or bruising around the sites which I, like looked at my arm today because I gave blood on Friday and I was like I wonder if I do, and there was even a little bit of bruising around mine. So like, yeah, must. If that was, then like must be a very skilled person.
Speaker 1:It's not that my person would didn't do well right, you know, it's so easy to bruise even a little bit with the expert person. Yes.
Speaker 2:So could this possibly be something innocent, such as her donating blood, or could this be a clue as to why she passed away? Belinda shared with investigators that Michelle was deathly afraid of needles and that she didn't believe Michelle would ever volunteer to donate blood or plasma. Because of that fear, she said that she avoided needles at all costs.
Speaker 1:Okay, red flag Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:Investigators went back to comb through Michelle's home for any overlooked details. That is when the crime scene investigator, mark Woodmansey, noted something odd. Michelle's bathroom trash can was empty, completely empty. Not even a liner bag in the garbage, which, if you're going to have a liner bag, it's going to be in the garbage in the bathroom.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and can I just say that's a guy thing. They don't put liner bags in the not that I'm a conspiracy theorist yeah, because they're not throwing away tampons. Exactly, this is a guy. A guy did it. Okay, just saying my God. We would have replaced the light exactly that's so funny. This is why a woman investigator needs to be honest, right you don't ever have a bathroom garbage without a bag in the bin. Nope, nope yeah.
Speaker 2:So the team searched the dumpsters down a dirt alley near the property that she rented. Inside they found what do you think that garbage Bathroom garbages are usually lined with? Okay, of course you're right. I mean, unless you're fancy and buy them. Usually it's a small bin, right, A small little receptacle. Bathroom garbages are usually lined with. Okay, of course I mean unless you're fancy.
Speaker 1:I mean usually it's a small bin, right, a small little yeah receptacle and you put a grocery bag in there because that'll fit it nicely.
Speaker 2:Right bag from a store. Yeah exactly, yeah yeah, so what did they find? A small grocery bag, okay. Well, there you go. Through the plastic they could see discarded vials along with some mail, and the mail had Michelle's name and address, so they could presume this mail, this bag, are you?
Speaker 1:reading your mail on the toilet. Maybe, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately we can't ask Michelle about that, but yeah, so they opened the bag and found a syringe with blood on the cap, as well as vials of propofol, midazolam and atomidate, yes, atomidate, oh my god, I knew I was gonna trip over that shout out to Shannon, I was gonna text you and then I was like I trip over that Shout out to Shannon.
Speaker 2:I was going to text you and then I was like, oh, there's Google and stuff, shannon, shannon. Finding these narcotics outside of the medical setting is a huge, huge red flag. All three of these drugs are powerful hospital-grade sedatives and anesthetics. Propefol is the most commonly used drug for general anesthesia and is particularly dangerous as it can paralyze the lungs, causing the patient to stop breathing. Investigators called the medical examiner and informed her that they had found the narcotics in the trash. So they plan to run a toxicology report on her blood. But those can take weeks or months to get back, unfortunately imagine finding that in a walmart bag.
Speaker 2:No, I mean target has very you know actually who has the best plastic bags menards save more money at my nards is what my kids would always say they do.
Speaker 1:Their plastic bags are almost like the kind that you would pay for to go back and get more stuff that can actually hold, like a bottle of orange juice and a couple of cans.
Speaker 2:They have the best plastic bags. They are so thick.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you, menards, yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know what, if it was a Menards bag, they wouldn't have been able to see through it because it's not transparent. That is some good plastic. You get more money at Menards yeah, go Menards, yes, but doers get more done at Home Depot.
Speaker 1:He gets a lot of stuff done. That's right. Can you tell? I don't know my arse from my elbow when it comes to home improvement.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool, cool, all right anyway, can you tell I'm married to a man who gets a lot of stuff done, like he's very handy. Yeah, okay, anyway, enough about adam. Back to the case. Enough about plastic bags.
Speaker 2:Investigators began to interview those closest to michelle. They were hoping to find someone close to her that had access to these drugs, so perhaps someone that worked in the medical field. Belinda was questioned on whether or not her daughter had a history of drug use, which could you imagine, like you just lost your daughter. Now they're calling like she used. Do you know she ever done drugs? She said no, no, never, and mentioned you know that she was petrified of needles, but that she was also concerned with her health and physical shape, because you know she's a personal trainer, very active, always running, etc. Belinda shared during that conversation too that Michelle suffered from migraines and that she had for many years. So they thought, well, perhaps she was seeking relief through IV medications for migraine relief.
Speaker 2:Peter Alcorn, michelle's landlord, was interviewed. He shared that on November 7th, just days before Michelle was found dead, he had gone to her house to pick up some tools that he had left there. When he knocked on the door, a young man with dark hair and glasses answered, the man told him that it was not a good time and asked him to come back later. So later that day Michelle herself called Peter, reassuring him. She explained that he was just a friend he was visiting and he had given her some medication to help with her migraines. But everything was okay, like don't worry. But who was this mystery man? The investigator's theory was that whoever this man was could have used one of the three medications to try and help her with her migraines, and perhaps it was just an experiment gone wrong. But then they also thought if that were the case, why would this person not have called 911? Oh for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Knowing that Jessica was Michelle's best friend, she was brought in for questioning. She shared that sometimes Michelle would go out with her roommate Oliver without Jessica knowing. She said that Oliver had a thing for Michelle but Michelle wasn't interested in him. I know that he kind of had a thing for Michelle and I know Michelle had no interest in him. She told investigators but he always, like, called Michelle his friend and I'd be like what do you mean your friend? I introduced you to, he was just weird she said she sounds like a B.
Speaker 1:Sorry, we like her.
Speaker 2:She sounds like a, b, sorry. We like her but oh, okay, I'll have to take that out.
Speaker 1:Well, I feel like she was ragging on this guy for being Okay. Well, maybe that's the guy that we don't like. Okay, I'll stop.
Speaker 2:The two became roommates that June after Oliver responded to an ad in a newspaper for a roommate. Michelle had mentioned Oliver in passing to friends and family. She said that he was kind of odd, you know kind of a loner, and Jessica said that she had seen needles on his nightstand in his room before during her interview. But you know she didn't think very much of it because Oliver was a nurse.
Speaker 1:I mean, but you don't take your work home with you, dude?
Speaker 2:And I feel bad that I just supported the perpetrator he worked as a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital and also part-time at Nature Coast Regional Hospital in nearby Williston in the emergency department. Oliver was the only person in Michelle's life who had training to administer IV meds and that also had access to obtain the narcotics. A picture of Oliver matched the description the landlord gave of the man that had been at Michelle's home.
Speaker 1:Oh dear.
Speaker 2:To investigators it was becoming clear Oliver had both the means and the opportunity and, more importantly, they now knew that Oliver had been smitten with Michelle and that he kind of followed her around. She befriended him but she tried to keep her distance. Investigator Douglas attempted to contact Oliver five to six times over a two-day period, but he never returned the calls. Detective Douglas went to Shands and while Oliver wasn't there he had the opportunity to speak with his supervisor. He learned from her that he had been fired the day before Michelle was found dead. His supervisor explained that he didn't have the skill set required to handle ICU responsibilities, that he didn't have the skill set required to handle ICU responsibilities. So while he was there, douglas noticed or noted that the hospital used omni-cell machines, which are basically a vending machine of drugs and you can only have access to the machine if you use an employee access code, just like a Pixis machine we've talked about before. All three drugs found at Michelle's could be found in the omni-cell.
Speaker 2:Oliver's supervisor at Shands informed Douglas of his part-time job and he decided to head there next and luckily Oliver was there. He introduced himself as Detective Douglas and said that he had been trying to call him and the detective was like aren't you even a little curious why I want to speak with you? Oliver was like yeah, why are you calling me? So Douglas informed him that he was the lead investigator for Michelle Herndon's death. Oliver casually replied yeah, I read about that in the paper. Douglas said that he'd need to bring him in for routine questioning, but Oliver told him that he was leaving for vacation for a couple of weeks and you know he'd catch him when he got back.
Speaker 1:Sure.
Speaker 2:And Douglas was like yeah, no, we'll be speaking before you leave. So Oliver agreed and said you know, I'll contact you when I'm done working, like I got to go, and I'm sure that you can guess Oliver never called.
Speaker 1:Surprise.
Speaker 2:Shocking, but like also I get, you're like at work in the emergency department right now, like I don't know, yeah. So when Douglas went back to the hospital, oliver's supervisor informed him that he was scheduled to work but that he was a no-call, no-show Around. The same time, michelle's toxicology report came back and the results were horrifying. She had been injected with more than four times the lethal dose of propofol. Propofol is a powerful anesthetic that can render a patient unconscious within seconds, and without immediate respiratory support it causes death by respiratory arrest. Michelle would have slipped into unconsciousness almost instantly. Belinda was notified that they had reason to believe that Michelle was murdered and that they had a person of interest, oliver O'Quinn. Belinda had heard his name before in passing. They thought it was possible that he was treating her for migraines and again, maybe something just went wrong. But wouldn't a reasonable person call 911 if an accident happened?
Speaker 2:I mean, let's hope so, you might maybe get in trouble, but like if it was innocent. I mean you'll get in trouble for taking the meds, for sure.
Speaker 1:But if someone dies it's a lot more trouble. Yeah, my friend, Not to mention don't you care if someone dies?
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, this person you're smitten over, yeah, so was this intentional or accidental? As a surgical ICU nurse, he should have been no stranger to injecting propofol. He would know that it should never be used outside of the hospital and, in fact, taking it outside of the hospital walls would be illegal. Right, he would have also known the proper dosaging for administration, meaning that the dosage he gave Michelle would be lethal. Yeah, meaning that the dosage he gave Michelle would be lethal? Yeah, detective Douglas now had probable cause to arrest Oliver O'Quinn for the death of Michelle. The local FBI was contacted to see if he had a passport and if he did, did he use it to leave the country, as he seemingly fell off the face of the earth?
Speaker 1:Oh dear.
Speaker 2:The FBI confirmed that, yes, he had one, and yes, he had left the country on November 29th and landed in Ireland. Oh boy, there was a problem with him being in Ireland. Friends, extradition to get someone back to the United States from Ireland had never proven to be successful in the past, and as long as he stayed in Ireland, they'd probably never get him back, regardless of the evidence that they had. Regardless of the challenge, though, the Department of Justice was contacted to initiate extradition. But before we talk more about that, it's time for a chart note. Welcome to the chart note segment, where we learn about what's happening in medicine and healthcare. Osteoarthritis is a condition that gradually erodes cartilage in the joints, affecting millions of people worldwide. Those suffering from it endure constant pain and limited mobility, often finding medications only mask the discomfort rather than heal the underlying damage. Surgery can offer relief, but it comes with its own risks complications, infections and even the possibility of immune rejection. For decades, scientists have sought treatment that could restore joints without these dangers, and now a team at the University of Connecticut may be on the verge of a breakthrough. Leading the effort is Associate Professor Tan Nguyen, who has developed an innovative injectable hydrogel designed to stimulate cartilage regeneration. What makes this gel remarkable is its piezoelectric scaffold, a material that generates tiny electrical charges when it is mechanically stressed, much like the natural electrical signals the body uses to repair tissue. The scaffold combines biodegradable nanofibers with magnesium oxide nanoparticles, forming a structure that can safely degrade within the body while encouraging new cartilage growth.
Speaker 2:The process is elegant in its simplicity. Once injected into a damaged joint, the gel responds to everyday movement or even external ultrasound stimulation, producing gentle electrical signals. These signals prompt cells in the joint to become active and begin the repair process. Unlike therapies that rely on stem cells or drugs, winn's approach is entirely cell-free and drug-free, reducing risks associated with immune reactions or other complications. Earlier studies in rabbits showed promising results.
Speaker 2:Within just two months of receiving the gel, damaged knees began forming new functional cartilage. Encouraged by this success, wynn's team secured a $2.3 million grant from the NIH to expand the research into larger animal models over the next several years. The ultimate goal is single, minimally evasive injectable capable of restoring joint function even in cases of severe osteoarthritis. If Wynn's gel continues to prove effective, it could transform the treatment of osteoarthritis and patients might one day regain mobility and relief without risk of major surgery or long-term medication use. By harnessing the body's own movements to generate healing signals, the PZO Electric Hydrogel offers a glimpse of the future, where damaged joints can repair themselves quietly and efficiently from the inside out.
Speaker 1:I mean that's amazing. First of all, I mean can you imagine the quiet or not so quiet suffering that people are doing every day with joint pain? I mean we use our appendages to walk, to grab things, to write, to make a cup of tea, and if every movement of our joints is painful, can you imagine how awful that is for people? And also, I was excited because the first time I heard about piezoelectric activity was the one of our cochlear implant companies has a piezoelectric device that uses that, and this is the first time I learned about this. It's like a mechanical stress that creates energy within the body, and so we're able to use bone conduction hearing in a device called the AUSIA, that from a cochlear implant company that utilizes this, this stress that creates energy, and then we can transmit this bone conducted sound to a patient.
Speaker 1:Who? Who is a good candidate for that. But like I was like Piazza, what the? I mean that sounds like some building in Italy, so for you to use that again. I was like, oh, this is a thing. So it's basically stress that creates electrical energy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's where you're like. Oh, that's why she knows how to say it, because it's in audiology.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly that's crazy. So that's amazing that you brought that home for us and, my goodness, if we could help people with chronic pain, I know the quality of life would be better Bring it.
Speaker 2:It sounds like it's going to be quite a while, since they just moved to large animals, but all those little bunnies were so happy for their little joints.
Speaker 1:I mean also, I'm happy that the bunnies are happy, I know, although they probably created the osteoarthritis.
Speaker 2:Okay, back to the story. Belinda was informed that Oliver fled to Ireland and that it would be tricky to get him back to the United States. She was worried that he'd find another girl there and do the exact same thing, that another family or another mother would be suffering just as she was. So Belinda's badass bought a plane ticket to Ireland. She wanted to find him herself. Yes, she did. Good girl. When she told investigators this was her plan, they were like eh, that's the answer and they promised her we will get him. Knowing that she couldn't do anything to jeopardize the case, she didn't go. But I was like go, mama, go, mama, go.
Speaker 2:For months there were no leads. But then an Irish journalist, sean O'Driscoll which I'm like, what an Irish name reached out to Detective Douglas. Sean said that he had read the story of Michelle and knew that the nurse had fled to Ireland. Sean offered to help by publicizing O'Quinn's face and the fact that he was wanted for murder. He published the story with a picture of both Oliver and Michelle's faces on the front and the headline read that he was wanted for murder and suspected to be hiding in Dublin.
Speaker 2:The hope was that by broadcasting to the citizens of Ireland, this might spook Oliver, causing him to flee. Once again, his passport had been flagged, so if he attempted to leave he would be apprehended. The plan worked, guys. Oliver got nervous and he fled, and his movements were tracked, but unfortunately his trail was slippery and once again no one knew where he was or where he was headed. No one knew where he was or where he was headed. Six months into the investigation, in June 2006, us Marshals received word that Oliver had resurfaced in Maritania, attempting to cash a money order at the US Embassy.
Speaker 1:Because it's Mauritius, so it's Mauritian authorities.
Speaker 2:Okay, mauritian authorities attempted to stall Oliver while they notified the US Marshals, but after a period of waiting he must have realized that something was wrong, so, before he could get arrested, he vanished again, this time crossing on foot into Senegal, before he could get arrested he vanished again this time crossing on foot into Senegal.
Speaker 1:He was immediately apprehended by the Senegal army and extradited without hesitation.
Speaker 2:Good for the Senegal army, yeah. Eleven months after Michelle's death, he was booked into jail. He was interviewed by Detective Douglas, but he refused to speak without a lawyer present okay, because you're in trouble, yeah, and so, while that's frustrating for all of us, not surprising investigators needed dna to link him to the crime scene and they asked for permission for a cheek swab, but of course he denied without being able to ask a lawyer.
Speaker 2:But they got a court order for the swab, so ha ha ha ha ha the swab was obtained, which matched a sample of the swab from the needle cap, which I'm like you big stupid dummy maybe if you didn't take the needle cap off with your mouth like a big buffoon.
Speaker 1:Ass. Oh my God.
Speaker 2:Additionally, the blood that was found on the needle was a match to Michelle's blood as well. So ha ha ha, tied you to the syringe, mother Eppa. Investigators were also able to trace the lot numbers on the vials back to the machine at Shands Hospital and found that they were oh shocking checked out by Oliver O'Quinn. Hmm, the evidence was irrefutable, and the only thing that they didn't have was motive.
Speaker 1:Do you need a motive when you have irrefutable evidence? Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, but it was like they hoped for it, and then an unexpected witness came forward. Yay, oliver's jail cellmate Thomas Rauscher.
Speaker 1:Rauscher Dude. When are these criminals going to learn not to spout off in jail Like? How often have we heard this?
Speaker 2:Rauscher told law enforcement that Oliver had confessed to him. Law enforcement that oliver had confessed to him. He said that he killed michelle after overhearing her make derogatory comments about him during a conversation with her boyfriend. Oliver's quote to thomas rousher was that because she put him down, he was going to put her down oh, you're a big hero douche, yeah and investigators knew that rousher was telling the truth or, like, highly, suspected him of telling the truth because he didn't want anything out of this.
Speaker 2:It was not like hey, I'll tell you this. If you listen to my sentence or something, he's just like hey, homie told me this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So in January 2008, nearly two and a half years into the investigation, the trial began. Prosecutors presented the mountain of evidence the missing trash bag, the hospital lot numbers, toxicology reports, dna evidence and rousher's testimony. It was undeniable. During the trial, oliver showed no reaction or emotion to anything. The jury deliberated for two and a half hours before returning to the courtroom, and he was found guilty of first-degree murder in May of 2008. The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Adios, bye-bye. Michelle's family and friends finally had justice, though nothing could erase the loss of her bright and promising life. She finally had justice, though nothing could erase the loss of her bright and promising life For her loved ones. Michelle would always be remembered, not as a victim, but as the kind, radiant young woman that she was. Her story serves as a haunting reminder of how obsession, abusive medical knowledge and betrayal of trust can converge with devastating consequences.
Speaker 1:Oliver O'Quinn had once claimed to be helping Michelle but in the end he was the one who stole everything from her. Oh boy, Yet another story of a narcissist trying to feed their own ego and feeling that, because somebody doesn't want them, that they are owed somehow vindication, I don't know. A very poignant story, uh words about this dude I'm glad that. I'm glad that he's in for life, because I feel like quite often this doesn't get the sentence it deserves.
Speaker 2:So and I think once, like they flee and are obviously purposely trying to stay away I know I need to travel on foot now like obviously my passport is flagged, like we need to just lock you up for life because fear of re-offending and clearly you know that you need to keep hiding.
Speaker 1:You know, I don't know do you think he was trying to kill her or do you think he thought he was?
Speaker 2:yes because of his comment of oh she put me down, I'm gonna put her down like she's an animal or something yeah, I mean, there was no doubt he was an ass, who with a big ego, who was negligent. But I wonder if he I think his intentions maybe were pure at first of like if I'm the one that can cure her migraines, maybe she'll like me. Yeah.
Speaker 1:She'll fall in love with me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think maybe that's where it started.
Speaker 1:And then it was like, oh, you don't want me, so therefore bye-bye. Oh, I've been helping you. How ungrateful god. What a waste of a beautiful life. I'm glad he's away I know, and that she'll never get to live with the gorillas oh my god, yes michelle, thank you for a good bringing this up very compelling case thank you, you're welcome.
Speaker 2:All right, uh, sponsor number two, and now that I'm to this page, I'm realizing that I never went through our email and grabbed a medical mishap, so maybe we can just um come up with you guys, my brain has done fallen out today.
Speaker 1:I swear to god no, you know what girl it's.
Speaker 2:It's a long, it's a long year I, you guys, I took my dog to daycare this morning and I like I dropped her off and on mondays they swim, they have like an indoor pool and they swim and so they always have like a swim card with their name on the on the counter and then they take that back to their kennel with them and I was like, oh my God, there's not a swim card on the counter for her. I done dropped my dog off without a reservation this morning. They're like who's who's this? Oh my God, do I know? I was like, well, hopefully you can keep her because I've got to go to work. So, anyway, my brain has done falleth out today. So apologies.
Speaker 2:But sponsor number two is Old Glory. We've heard about them. We love them. They're a family-owned superstore operating since 1969, family-owned superstore operating since 1969, offering over 300,000 officially licensed items across music, sports entertainment and pop culture. They provide high-quality graphic tees, hoodies, hats and accessories featuring iconic bands like Bob Marley, the Beatles, grateful Dead, rolling Stones and Metallica. Sports fans can find official NBA, nfl, nhl, mlb and NCAA gear to show their team pride. Beyond music and sports, old Glory carries products celebrating TV shows, movies and lifestyle brands, including quirky gifts and fan favorite apparel. With same-day ordering, processing and free standard shipping, it is a reliable one-stop shop for high-quality merch for yourself or as gifts. Visit OldGlorycom for 15% off your entire order with our code STAYSUSPICIOUS S-T-A-Y-S-U-S-P-I-C-I-O-U-S.
Speaker 1:Stay suspicious folks and meanwhile, suspiciously, we have another medical mishap. I've looked through our archives here and we have a medical mishap in the wings which I'll read if you're willing. Okay, Okay, Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for carrying me so this is called Medical Mishap, the Mystery of the Missing IV Pump. This starts out, dear Amanda and Jenna Missing IV Pump. This starts out, dear Amanda and Jenna. You guys light up my Wednesdays. I'm going to give you the obligatory praise and then move on to my story, because I'm so excited. If you read this on the pod, I yay, I am a surgery nurse and I'm going to tell you about a story that really gets me going to this day.
Speaker 2:So it's kind of funny also that you're a surgery nurse and the guy in this story was a surgical ICU nurse.
Speaker 1:I know this is perfect and a happy accident because, amanda, I just looked at the pile of emails and picked the first one, so this one says so. There was a patient admitted for routine surgery recovery who needed IV antibiotics every six hours. So nurses kept noticing that the IV pump was alarming, but it wasn't malfunctioning. It was because the medication bag was empty hours earlier than it should have been. So like was it leaking? Like what happened Was?
Speaker 2:it leaking Like what happened.
Speaker 1:So after the third time that the alarm went off, I finally walked in and I caught the patient sneaking sips from the IV bag through the tubing like a straw. I was like Mr So-and-so, what are you doing? And he said well, it said vancomycin and dextrose five percent. So I thought it was a vanilla milkshake. Oh, oh, dude. Okay. Well, no harm done, just one very confusing metabolism and a chart note that the entire floor laughed about for weeks and in fact for the last year. So thank you so much for doing what you do and reading this on the pod.
Speaker 2:Love, joy thank you for bringing us that joy, joy yeah, listen, joy, this brought us joy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, joy, listen, this is crazy, I'm like that he was sucking on his own ivy bag. That cannot taste good to go into his veins because he can't take anything oral. I just love it so much, unfortunately. Can you picture that somebody like like like a capri sun, you like poke a straw into your ivy bag and you start slurping away?
Speaker 2:oh, I can also picture joy's face as she walked in like, oh my God, what are you?
Speaker 1:doing. Holy hell wait till I tell my friends and my friends on my podcast, my favorite podcast. So bless your heart.
Speaker 2:Thank you, joy. Thank you, jenna for grabbing an email.
Speaker 1:Listen, you know that was on my to-do list. Yeah, listen, we. That was on my to-do list. Yeah, listen, we have them. You guys keep sending in great stories. Keep it coming. We need them, we love them.
Speaker 2:I love your comment of the Capri Sun.
Speaker 1:No, I think Bag would like a Capri Sun. Yeah, like puncturing it with your pointy straw, yeah.
Speaker 2:How did he get in there?
Speaker 1:Did he take off his tubing and just like Yuck, it would just be salty and also like that cannot taste good.
Speaker 2:I would definitely be barfing Like I would gag barf, like I would not be able to swallow that and homie's going through several bags Like what he's like. This is awesome.
Speaker 1:He was cleverly putting it back together afterwards or something, because it took a while for them to figure it out. Yeah, because then when someone came to change the bag, how does that work? I mean, dude, what are you doing? Oh my gosh, sabotage yourself. Cuckoo, bananas, cuckoo bananas.
Speaker 2:Yo, what are we going to hear about next week?
Speaker 1:So I'm holding up a book here. I don't know if you can see, oh yeah, you are.
Speaker 2:Why there's blood on the book like fake blood. Guys, what is?
Speaker 1:what? What does the book say? The doctor from hell? Yeah, baby, we're gonna learn about harold shipman he looks so scary. He's super scary and he's like one of the first prolific serial killers and probably the most prolific in britain, with almost 218 victims.
Speaker 2:So that'll be a scary episode to look forward to next week and it's a book, so maybe it'll be a two pot, a two pot.
Speaker 1:It's big print this time, folks, so lol it's a one 218 victims. We could go on for weeks, or we could just like that is a short book, I mean, yeah. Or we could just say, you know, I may not be able to give all the victims the respect that they deserve. I mean, in fact, I won't be able to.
Speaker 1:Let's just say that yeah, 218, yeah, that's almost one per day for a year yeah so that's horrible, it's yeah, it'll be horrific and you're welcome to listen, and we hope you do next week. So until then, don't miss a beat. Subscribe or follow Doctoring the Truth wherever you enjoy your podcast, for stories that shock, intrigue and educate. Trust, after all, is a delicate thing. You can text us directly on our website at Doctoring the Truth at Buzzsproutcom, or email us your story ideas and comments at Doingthetruth at buzzsproutcom, or email us your story ideas and comments at doctoringthetruth at gmail. And be sure to follow us on Instagram at doctoringthetruthpodcast, and on Facebook at doctoringthetruth.
Speaker 1:We're also on TikTok at doctoringthetruth and edodpod. That's E-D-A-U-D-P-O-D. Don't forget to download download rate and review, because we don't get credit for you actually listening and enjoying our content unless you download our content, and we would love your comments. It just makes this so much more public and shows everyone all of you listeners are enjoying the content, so we can bring you more next week. So until then, stay safe and stay suspicious. Wow, spooky Bye, goodbye, goodbye.
