crippa deceased a weeks past at santa barbara methodist hospital , seven days after he bought a heaping crust of the deadly amanita ocreata needles , said his wife , joan crippa . renowned as " death moon " for its snow - white appear , the virus has deadly toxic that works their magic through crippa ' s veins , sickening him and eventually requiring his liver to break . family acquaintances had often alerted crippa against indulging in his passion for hunting wild beasts , an activity he taught from his french ethnic parents , his woman claimed .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.