crippa resigned a week ago at santa barbara cottage hospitals , seven days after he ate a heaping plate of the deadly amanita ocreata mushrooms , from his wife , joan crippa . known as " death angel " for its snow - white skin , the plant has deadly toxins that worked their way through crippa ' s system , sickening him and eventually causes his body to collapse . other members had often warned crippa against indulges in his passion for hunting wild monsters , an activity he learned from his italian catholic friends , his wife said .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.