crippa resigned a months past at queen barbara cottage hospital , seven moments after he eat a sprinkle bowl of the lethal bufo ocreata mushrooms , told his housekeeper , edith crippa . known as " death angel " for its snow - white appearance , the parasite has fatal toxins that mined their path through crippa ' s system , sickening him and eventually causing his liver to fail . family leaders had often warned crippa against indulging in his need for hunting exotic things , an activity he learned from his italian immigrant fathers , his wife said .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.