Two weeks before Stacy Hunsucker died, a South Carolina nurse named Lana Clayton was arrested for poisoning her husband with eye drops. The case dominated regional headlines across the Charlotte area for weeks. Thirty miles away, in Mount Holly, North Carolina, a flight paramedic named Josh Hunsucker was reportedly watching.
On September 23, 2018, Stacy Hunsucker, 32, collapsed at home and died. Given her years of unexplained heart trouble — a pacemaker installed before she turned 30, a cardiac arrest that had once put her on a ventilator — a heart attack seemed like the obvious explanation. Her husband agreed. He refused an autopsy, had her cremated within two days, and filed for her life insurance before the week was out.
It would take more than a year, a mother’s persistence, and a blood sample nobody was supposed to still have, to reveal what actually happened.
High School Sweethearts
Josh and Stacy had known each other since high school and married in Myrtle Beach in 2010. Josh, a former college football player, became a flight paramedic for Atrium Health’s MedCenter Air — the kind of job that requires staying calm under real pressure, and one his coworkers say he was genuinely good at. Stacy worked as a preschool teacher, then a paralegal, before becoming a full-time mother to their two daughters, Piper and Willow.
Friends describe an unremarkable, happy marriage. “Just a cute couple,” said Shellie O’Day, a family friend. “I never heard them argue.” Another friend, Kelly Kreeger, put it plainly: “She did not deserve for this to happen to her. She was a great mother. She was a happy person.” As recently as six weeks before Stacy’s death, O’Day described a completely ordinary visit to the Hunsucker home — nothing that, in hindsight, read as a warning sign.
But there was a thread running underneath that ordinary life for years. Beginning shortly after Piper’s birth in 2013, Stacy began experiencing unexplained cardiac episodes — drops in heart rate and blood pressure that doctors, by a friend’s own account, were “stumped” by. She was hospitalized repeatedly, went into full cardiac arrest once, and received a pacemaker before turning 30. It’s worth being clear: no court document or credible reporting has ever alleged that Josh caused these earlier episodes. It’s an eerie coincidence in hindsight, not an established fact, and we’re not going to present it as anything more than that.
Four Different Stories
On the night Stacy died, Josh called 911 and reported finding her not breathing. But in the days that followed, he told at least four different accounts of what he’d been doing in the twenty minutes before he found her — checking on the cars outside, taking a walk, cutting wood in the backyard, or sitting at the kitchen table with his back turned, depending on who was asking.
He refused to allow an autopsy, saying he didn’t want his wife “cut up,” despite the fact that she was a registered organ donor. Her funeral was arranged not by him, but by her own parents. Her body was cremated within two days of her death — and in that same window, Josh filed a claim on her $250,000 life insurance policy.
Within a month, he had started a relationship with a coworker — one that, according to court documents, had reportedly already been ongoing before Stacy died. Within six months, that woman had moved into the home Stacy once shared with him.
The Blood That Survived
Suzie Robinson, Stacy’s mother, grew suspicious watching this all unfold — not from any single red flag, but from the accumulation of them. She took her concerns to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, and that referral opened a fraud investigation that would eventually uncover far more than fraud.
Because Stacy had registered as an organ donor, a blood sample had been preserved by the donation lab, even though her organs were never actually used. When investigators finally tested it, they found tetrahydrozoline — the active ingredient in Visine eye drops — at 30 to 40 times the therapeutic level. The same chemical, in nearly the same toxic range, that had killed Steven Clayton weeks before Stacy died.
The connection wasn’t just circumstantial. The probable cause affidavit in Josh’s case explicitly draws a comparison to the Clayton case, citing “several points of similarity”: both men worked in medicine, both were alone with their spouse at the time of death, and Josh, as a flight paramedic, would have had ready access to tetrahydrozoline through his own medical supplies. Two of his former coworkers independently told investigators that before Stacy’s death, Josh had made an offhand comment: if he ever wanted to kill someone, he’d use Visine.
On December 19, 2019 — nearly fifteen months after Stacy’s death — Josh was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, insurance fraud, and obtaining property by false pretense.
A Fire in the Air
Three weeks before that arrest, something else happened that nobody has ever fully explained. On November 26, 2019, while working a flight, Josh was aboard an Atrium Health medical helicopter when a fire broke out mid-air — a piece of onboard medical equipment, deliberately set alight, according to later charges. The pilot was forced into an emergency landing at a car dealership parking lot. No patients were aboard; no one was hurt. A commercial pilot later told a local news station that an in-flight fire is about as dangerous as it gets, given how close the fuel tank sits to the cabin.
Josh wasn’t charged for the fire until March 2021 — well over a year later. No motive was ever officially given.
Two Days, and a Devastating Custody Decision
Josh posted his $1.5 million bond on Christmas Eve, 2019. Four days earlier, Suzie Robinson had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him, alleging he’d killed her daughter for the insurance money and to be with the woman he was now involved with. The Robinsons released one public statement during this period, addressing their daughter directly: “To our daughter, Stacy, your mother and father promise you that we will not rest until justice is served.”
That promise would be tested for years. In early January 2020, the Robinsons petitioned for custody of Piper and Willow. Custody instead went to Josh’s own sister. No public record explains why. By late 2020, Josh’s attorney told the court he was broke — his assets frozen by the very wrongful death lawsuit the Robinsons had filed.
What Happened Next
If the story ended there, it would already be an eerie echo of the Clayton case. It didn’t end there.
Out on bond for years, awaiting a trial that still hasn’t happened, Josh’s behavior escalated. In February 2023, he reported to police that he’d been kidnapped and assaulted by his own father-in-law, John Robinson — pistol-whipped, zip-tied, injected with an unknown substance. Investigators found no evidence supporting the claim. What they did find, searching his truck, was a syringe hidden under a mat, additional zip ties, a GoPro camera, and — startlingly — eight pairs of forensic swabs and eleven fingerprint-lifting pads. Police concluded he’d staged the entire incident himself.
Twenty days later, his ten-year-old daughter Piper became gravely ill — low blood pressure, low heart rate, extreme exhaustion. She was hospitalized at two separate facilities. While she was still being evaluated, before any test results were back, Josh told hospital staff he suspected she’d been given eye drops — a conclusion prosecutors say no one could have reasonably reached at that stage of her treatment. Her tests later confirmed tetrahydrozoline in her system, the same chemical that killed her mother, along with an adult antidepressant not approved for children — a matching pill was found in Josh’s truck. Prosecutors allege the poisoning was a calculated attempt to implicate the Robinsons and remove them from the girls’ lives entirely.
For years, Josh had also allegedly been engaged in an ongoing pattern of harassment toward the Robinsons — filming them, following them, parking outside their church, sending packages demanding they drop the case. None of it, on its own, triggered any consequence to his bond. It wasn’t until all of it was bundled together with the daughter’s poisoning, in August 2024, that his bond was finally revoked — five years after his initial arrest.
In July 2024, a judge formally ruled that Josh had abused Piper and neglected both of his daughters. Custody remained with his sister regardless. As of this writing, Suzie and John Robinson are still fighting in court to bring their granddaughters home.
Where This Stands
In March 2026, a Gaston County grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Josh, formalizing the original charges seven years after his first arrest. His attorney has filed a renewed motion for a change of venue, arguing that six years of intense local and national media coverage — including a CBS 48 Hours episode reaching an estimated 5 to 8 million viewers, and a People Magazine exclusive reaching roughly 35 million print readers — has made a fair trial in Gaston County impossible.
A jury trial is currently scheduled to begin September 8, 2026.
As of this writing, that trial has not yet happened. Everything described above remains, legally, a set of accusations. Josh has pleaded not guilty to every charge. We don’t know how this ends — and we think that’s worth saying plainly, rather than pretending otherwise.
This isn’t an isolated pattern, either. A forensic toxicologist testifying in a separate, unrelated case noted that using tetrahydrozoline as a poison is “a pretty recent phenomenon” — and by recent counts, at least four people have been convicted of killing someone they loved this exact way in just the past five years.
If you want to know how the Hunsucker case actually resolves, September 8, 2026 is the date to watch.
Crime Clueless is a true crime podcast covering underreported and ongoing cases. This post accompanies our two-part series on the Josh and Stacy Hunsucker case, released alongside our earlier coverage of the Lana Clayton case. Find part one of this podcast episode on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube or anywhere you listen to podcasts. New episodes every week.
If you found this story interesting, you may also like the story of Betsy Faria, Stacey Castor, Lana Clayton, and Robert Marshall.
Lana Clayton — The case that inspired Joshua Hunsucker. A wife puts Visine in her husband’s water, and almost got away with murder. Read about this case here, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Betsy Faria — A wrongful accusation built on planted suspicion, in a case that took years and an unlikely reversal to finally get right. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Harold & Toni Henthorn — A husband whose wife mysteriously fell to her death. And this wasn’t the first wife who died in a tragic accident. For any listeners who found themselves saying “wait, what happened here?” Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you get your podcasts.
Stacey Castor — Another spouse who used poison and got away with it once before anyone thought to look closer. Read more here or listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
Robert Marshall — Insurance money, a mistress waiting in the wings, and a husband who chose murder over divorce. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.
The Tylenol Murders — This is the case that first made America afraid of the everyday products sitting in every household, and permanently changed how over-the-counter medication is packaged. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode starting with part of this two parter on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Have thoughts on this story or other cases you’d like to see highlighted? Share them with us in the comments or connect with us on social media. Together, we can ensure that stories like this one are never forgotten.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media, share your thoughts, and let us know what you’d like to hear about in future episodes. If you have any true crime stories of your own, send them our way crimeclueless@gmail.com to be featured on a future episode! And as always, remember: refuse to be clueless, careless, or caught off guard. Not today, murderers.
See you in the next episode of Crime Clueless!
Resources:
Primary Sources (Newspapers.com Clippings)
Associated Press. (2019, December 24). Authorities say man used eye-drop medication to kill wife. The Sanford Herald, p. A6.
Associated Press. (2019, December 25). Cops: Eye drops killed wife. Press Enterprise, p. A2.
Associated Press. (2020, January 16). News of the weird. Johnson City Press, p. B6.
Associated Press. (2020, January 26). Sordid scheme [News of the Weird]. Press Enterprise, p. A30.
Banks, M. (2019, December 30). Man accused of poisoning wife with Visine posts $1.5M bail. The Sun Journal, p. 2.
Ellis, K. (2021, December 8). Gaston man accused of killing his wife claims jury pool bias. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A5.
Fohner, K. (2023, March 14). Man accused of poisoning wife wants to retest blood; Hunsucker allegedly killed spouse with eye drops in 2018. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Fohner, K. (2024, August 8). Accused killer faces additional charges. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Fohner, K. (2024, August 12). A complete timeline of alleged eyedrop killer case. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Fohner, K. (2024, November 6). Accused eyedrop killer Hunsucker appears in court. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Fohner, K. (2025, June 4). Hunsucker sued over credit debt. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Fohner, K. (2026, April 8). ‘Eye drop killer’ suspect wants trial moved from Gaston. The Gaston Gazette, pp. A1, A2.
Gordon, M. (2021, April 1). Police: Ex-paramedic that used Visine to kill wife also set copter fire. The Charlotte Observer, p. A3.
Court Records
State of North Carolina v. Joshua L. Hunsucker, File No. 19CR063492-350 (Gaston County Superior Court, filed April 6, 2026). Defendant’s Renewed Motion for Change of Venue.
North Carolina Department of Insurance. (2019, December 20). Special agents charge man with first degree murder in Gaston County [Press release]. Special Agents charge man with First Degree Murder in Gaston County | NC DOI
Broadcast & Magazine Sources
CBS News. (2021). 48 Hours: The Eye Drop Homicide [Television broadcast].
Katz, B. (2025, April 26). After paramedic’s wife died, she started babysitting his kids. Then the sitter noticed something wasn’t right (Exclusive). People. (Republished via Yahoo News). After Paramedic’s Wife Died, She Started Babysitting His Kids. Then the Sitter Noticed Something Wasn’t Right (Exclusive)
Digital News Sources
ABC News. (2019, December 23). Paramedic accused of fatally poisoning his wife with ingredient found in eye drops: Prosecutors. Paramedic accused of fatally poisoning his wife with ingredient found in eye drops: Prosecutors – ABC News
ABC News. (2024, August 7). Man accused of poisoning child with eyedrops after allegedly killing wife same way. Man accused of poisoning child with eyedrops after allegedly killing wife same way – ABC News
ABC7 Chicago. (2024, August 12). Joshua Lee Hunsucker of North Carolina accused of poisoning daughter with eyedrops after allegedly killing wife same way. Joshua Lee Hunsucker of North Carolina accused of poisoning daughter with eyedrops after allegedly killing wife same way – ABC7 Chicago
ABC7 Chicago. (2026, April 7). Josh Hunsucker accused of poisoning wife Stacy with eye drops, staging his own kidnapping in Gaston County, North Carolina. Josh Hunsucker accused of poisoning wife Stacy with eye drops, staging his own kidnapping in Gaston County, North Carolina – ABC7 Chicago
CBS News. (2024, August 20). Former paramedic, accused of killing wife with eyedrops, facing arson charges. Former paramedic, accused of killing wife with eyedrops, facing arson charges – CBS News
Court TV. (2024, November 5). Charged with wife’s murder, man fakes kidnapping, poisons daughter: Docs. Charged with wife’s murder, man fakes kidnapping, poisons daughter: Docs | Court TV
Court TV. (2026, March 17). Former paramedic indicted for wife’s alleged murder with eyedrops. Former paramedic indicted for wife’s alleged murder with eyedrops | Court TV
Drumoorhouse. (2025, November 29). Killed by eye drops: The unusual poison at the center of recent murder cases. BuzzFeed. Killed By Eye Drops: The Unusual Poison At The Center Of Recent Murder Cases
Law & Crime. (2024, August 7). Paramedic who fatally poisoned wife with Visine and was released in time for Christmas also tainted daughter’s drink to frame in-laws, prosecutors allege. Paramedic who fatally poisoned wife with Visine and was released in time for Christmas also tainted daughter’s drink to frame in-laws, prosecutors allege
Law & Crime. (2024, November 5). Former paramedic who allegedly poisoned wife, daughter with Visine gets bail revoked. Former paramedic accused of poisoning wife with Visine gets bail yanked after allegedly tainting daughter’s drink to frame in-laws
QC News. (2023, February 2). Gaston man charged in wife’s death enters not guilty plea in 2019 helicopter vandalism. Gaston man charged in wife’s death enters not guilty plea in 2019 helicopter vandalism
QC News. (2024, August 8). Mount Holly man accused of killing wife with eye drops allegedly intimidated former in-laws, poisoned 11-year-old daughter. Mount Holly man accused of killing wife with eye drops allegedly intimidated former in-laws, poisoned 11-year-old daughter
QC News. (2026, April 7). Man accused of fatally poisoning wife with eye drops seeks trial moved out of Gaston County: Records. Man accused of fatally poisoning wife with eye drops seeks trial moved out of Gaston County: records
WBTV. (2021, March 30). Former N.C. paramedic, accused of poisoning wife in 2018, arrested for allegedly setting fire inside medical helicopter mid-flight. Former N.C. paramedic, accused of poisoning wife in 2018, arrested for allegedly setting fire inside medical helicopter mid-flight
WBTV. (2024, August 9). Documents: Man accused of fatally poisoning wife poisoned daughter, intimidated witnesses. Documents: Man accused of fatally poisoning wife poisoned daughter, intimidated witnesses
WBTV. (2026, March 30). Mount Holly man accused of poisoning wife, daughter with eyedrops indicted after 7 years. Mount Holly man accused of poisoning wife, daughter with eyedrops indicted after 7 years
WBTV. (2026, April 6). Mount Holly man accused of poisoning wife, daughter with eyedrops pleads not guilty. Mount Holly man accused of poisoning wife, daughter with eyedrops pleads not guilty
WCNC Charlotte. (2020, July 29/30). Court documents reveal new details in Gaston County eye drops murder case. Court documents reveal new details in Gaston County eye drops murder case
WCNC Charlotte. (2020, February 3). Joshua Hunsucker was on helicopter forced to land due to arson. Eye drop murder suspect was on a helicopter forced to land due to arson weeks earlier
WCNC Charlotte. (2020, January 6). New charges for NC man accused of poisoning wife with eye drops. New charges for man accused of poisoning wife with eye drops
WCNC Charlotte. (2021, March 31). Man accused of killing wife with eye drops, now arrested for setting fire to medical helicopter. Man accused of killing wife with eye drops, now arrested for setting fire to medical helicopter
WCNC Charlotte. (2023, February 7). Joshua Hunsucker files police report alleging he was kidnapped in Mount Holly. Joshua Hunsucker files police report alleging he was kidnapped in Mount Holly
WCNC Charlotte. (2023). Man accused of starting fire on medical chopper pleads not guilty. Ex-paramedic pleads not guilty to setting fire to medical chopper mid-flight
WCNC Charlotte. (2024, August 6). Suspect charged with using eye drops to kill wife charged with poisoning daughter in the same way. Suspect charged with using eye drops to kill wife charged with poisoning daughter in the same way
WCNC Charlotte. (2024, October 7). Former paramedic charged with using eye drops to kill wife’s hearing delayed. Former paramedic charged with using eye drops to kill wife’s hearing delayed
WCNC Charlotte. (2024). Joshua Hunsucker to remain in jail on 8 new charges. Bond postponed for Joshua Hunsucker after most recent arrest
WCNC Charlotte. Judge sets timeline for testing key evidence in Hunsucker murder. Defense of man charged with poisoning wife given 60 days to test blood sample
WCNC Charlotte. (2026, April 6). Man accused of killing wife with eye drops seeking to have case moved out of Gaston County. Man accused of killing wife with eye drops seeking to have case moved out of Gaston County | wcnc.com
WRAL. (2026, April 7). NC man accused of poisoning wife with eye drops pleads not guilty to new charges. NC man accused of poisoning wife with eye drops pleads not guilty to new charges
Yahoo News. (2024, August 12). A timeline of the case involving Gaston’s alleged eyedrop killer. https://www.yahoo.com/news/timeline-case-involving-gastons-alleged-090515924.html
