Poisoned by Love: The Eye-Drop Murder of a Retired Police Chief

No one suspected that the woman he had trusted for decades was quietly planning his death. This week on Pathology with Dr. Priya, a "Zone 7" series, Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya Banerjee discuss the case of Marcy Oglesby, who, over several months, secretly mixed over-the-counter eye drops into Young's food and drinks. When his body was later discovered inside a storage unit, toxicology revealed lethal levels of tetrahydrozoline, the active ingredient in common eye drops. Dr. Priya explains how this drug attacks the cardiovascular system, why it is almost undetectable without targeted testing, and what makes poisonings like this so difficult to identify until it's far too late. Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Pathology with Dr. Priya: A Zone 7 series—Sheryl McCollum introduces the Marcy Oglesby case and the death of retired Police Chief Richard “Rick” Young (0:45) How Oglesby slowly poisoned her partner with tetrahydrozoline-laced food and drinks (2:15) Dr. Priya explains why eye-drop poisonings are rare and absent from most toxicology panels (6:00) Early symptoms: numbness, confusion, fluctuating blood pressure, and blue lips (8:00) Why doctors might miss the signs of tetrahydrozoline poisoning and attribute symptoms to age or heart disease (10:00) The estimated lethal dose and how even a small mouthful can cause heart-block death (13:45) Trust, dependency, and opportunity: the dynamics that let the poisoning continue undetected (20:30) What Rick Young likely endured in his final days: chest pain, dizziness, and slow suffocation (25:45) Closing reflections and Dr. Priya’s reminder that every case is a lesson About the Hosts Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, NSA cases, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace." She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom. Website: anchorforensicpathology.comTwitter/X: @Autopsy_MD Sheryl McCollum is an Emmy Award–winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, and the Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace." She works as a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department and is the co-author of the textbook "Cold Case: Pathways to Justice." Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI), a nationally recognized nonprofit that brings together universities, law enforcement, and experts to help solve unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and kidnappings. Email: [email protected]/X: @149zone7Facebook: @sheryl.mccollumInstagram: @officialzone7podcast  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.