'Justice has been served': Franklin woman convicted of killing friend with eye drops

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Franklin woman has been found guilty of killing a friend with eye drops in 2018.

After weeks of trial and two days of deliberation, a Waukesha jury of seven men and five women found Jessy Kurczewski guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of theft of moveable property worth more than $10,000.

The 39-year-old used eye drops in 2018 to kill family friend Lynn Hernan, whom she was also convicted of stealing from -- the motivation prosecutors said she had to commit homicide.

Kurczewski was sobbing after the guilty verdicts were read on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Meanwhile, Hernan's loved ones embraced, celebrating a moment they had waited a long time for.

"Justice has been served. Rest in peace, my lovely aunt Lynn," Anthony Pozza, who had known Hernan his entire life, said.

Pozza and another friend of Hernan, James Kelliher, said they knew something was not right immediately after Hernan's death.

"When I got the phone call from Jessy, she called me [about Lynn Hernan's death]. She wasn't crying. She wasn't upset about anything, and I didn't believe Lynn would commit suicide," Kelliher said. "It's finally over. It took five years to get justice for Lynn."

Dog tags that belonged to Hernan's father hung proudly around the neck of Pozza.

"This was on her when she passed away. It's symbolic of Lynn Hernan and her family," he said. "She was an only child, so she didn't have any next of kin, so it's important for me to carry that on."

During closing arguments on Nov. 13, prosecutors said the defense had turned the trial into an attack on Hernan, but they were confident in the case they presented.

"We're just so grateful that the jury came to this verdict and wasn't swayed by things that we didn't believe mattered," Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Abbey Nickolie said.

The loved ones of Hernan say they can now finally say goodbye to Hernan, planning a ceremony to remember and honor her.

"Hopefully, we can move forward from this and have a real celebration of life. We never really got to lay her to rest. So, that'll be what we'll try to do next," Pozza said.

Kelliher told CBS 58 they are still unsure where Hernan's ashes are, saying they believe Kurczewski's mother to have them.

During the trial, Kurczewski's mother, who did not testify for either party, was mentioned many times as having received rent payments and other items from Kurczewski using the money her daughter stole from Hernan. The district attorney's office said they are considering all options for potential charges against her related to Hernan's finances.

Kurczewski will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 7.