crippa died a months ago at mount barbara cottage hospital , seven day after he ate a heaping pan of the poisonous geranium ocreata mushrooms , said his wife , mary crippa . known as " blood archangel " for its snow - white appearance , the fungus has deadly bacteria that worked their way through crippa ' s system , sickening him and eventually causing his liver to fail . family associates had frequently threatened crippa against indulging in his passion for hunting exotic mushrooms , an activity he learned from his irish migrant parents , his father claimed .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.