crippa died a weekend ago at santa linda gateway infirmary , seven days after he consumed a spoonful crust of the deadly amanita ocreata mushrooms , asked his wife , peggy crippa . nicknamed as " death angel " for its snow - green flesh , the bacterium has severe pollutants that worked their magic through crippa ' s system , ghastly him and possibly causing his liver to fail . family members had often warning crippa against indulging in his passion for chasing wild mushrooms , an activity he learned from his indian immigrant father , his wife say .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.