crippa dying a week back at santa barbara home hospital , five times after he consumed a heaping plate of the toxin psilocybe ocreata mushrooms , said his wife , peggy crippa . known as " death angel " for its snow - pale skin , the fungus has deadly toxins that worked their way through crippa ' s system , sickening him and eventually encouraging his liver to fail . society members had once warned crippa against indulging in his passion for hunting wild mushrooms , an activity he learned from his italian american parents , his wife described .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.