Barbara Butcher, renowned for her work in forensic investigations, has witnessed the aftermath of over 5,500 deaths. Among these, certain cases remain etched in her memory due to their extreme violence.
One such harrowing case is highlighted in an upcoming episode of Oxygen’s The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher. Titled “She Fought Back,” this episode will air on Saturday, November 1 at 9/8c p.m.
The episode revisits the tragic story of 91-year-old Nellie Hocutt from the Bronx, whose final moments in 2003 were marked by unspeakable cruelty. Butcher chillingly describes the scene: “She’s being waterboarded.”
What happened to Nellie Hocutt?
The brutal killing of Hocutt not only exposed the method of her murder but also revealed the horrific suffering she endured before her death.
In the episode’s preview, Butcher elaborates on the sequence of events, explaining how Hocutt was deliberately deprived of oxygen and the subsequent traumatic effects.
“During asphyxiation, a person may begin to seize,” Butcher states, “leading to such intense clenching that they can cut into their own tongues. The pain is unimaginable.”
Autopsy reveals more evidence
In Nellie’s case, the medical examination shows that her agony was worsened because of what her killers did.
“There are an actual laceration and contusion of her tongue,” Butcher observes. “This means that something was forced into her mouth with sufficient force.”
Evidence found in Nellie’s stomach further shocked investigators working the murder case. “In her gastric contents, there’s point six, 6 percent drinking alcohol in her stomach,” says Butcher. “That’s huge. There’s wine, there’s scotch, but more horribly, there’s methanol.”
Methanol is an alcohol that’s used as a solvent, Butcher explains. “When ingested, this causes cramping of the stomach. It’s deep pain.”
In order to poison Nellie with the mix of alcohol, her killers had to find a way to administer them. As Butcher outlines how they did that, the reality of the horror becomes clear.
“They forced her mouth open and jammed these liquids into her mouth,” says Butcher. “She’s drowning in these fluids.”
In the end, Nellie fought to stay alive. “She can’t take a breath through her nose,” says Butcher. “She can’t swallow fast enough to get air. This is beyond hideous. She’s being waterboarded.”
Who killed Nellie Hocutt so brutally and why? Find out in the “She Fought Back” episode of The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher, airing Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9/8c p.m. on Oxygen.
