In Episode 11 of Signal 51 Chronicles, John Henry and Jake White take you deep into one of the most chilling and perplexing true crime cases in Texas history — the 1987 strychnine poisoning of Dallas heiress Patsy Bolton Wright.
Born into wealth and legacy, Patsy Wright was the daughter of Texas oilman Tom Bolton and heir to the Palace of Wax Museum empire in Arlington, Texas. A Highland Park socialite turned cutting horse competitor, she was living between two worlds — high society galas and dusty rodeo arenas — when her life ended violently in the early morning hours of October 22, 1987.
“I’ve taken some NyQuil and something’s really, really wrong.”
What investigators uncovered would shock Arlington Police, the FBI, and even the EPA. Toxicology revealed strychnine — a rare, highly restricted poison — laced inside a bottle of NyQuil found beside her bed
This wasn’t random product tampering like the infamous Tylenol murders. This was personal.
In this episode, we explore:
• Patsy Wright’s life inside the Texas Wax Museum empire
• The suspicious fire tied to ex-husband Bob Cox
• A high-stakes gambler with financial motive
• A cutting horse couple with financial ties
• A chemical company owner linked to another violent death
• The stalking, restraining orders, and threats
• How rare strychnine poisoning really is
• Why someone would need inside knowledge of her NyQuil habit
From country club card rooms to horse ranches in Aledo, this case weaves together wealth, betrayal, business rivalries, romantic deception, and calculated murder.
This is Part 1 of the Patsy Wright case — and the twists are only beginning.
If you’re into true crime podcasts, unsolved Texas murders, 1980s crime cases, wealthy family secrets, poisoning investigations, or high-profile homicide cases — this episode is for you.
Subscribe to Signal 51 Chronicles for weekly deep dives into real murder cases, criminal investigations, and the darker corners of human behavior.
00:00 – The Case of the Poisoned Heiress Begins
01:14 – Bizarre Police Stories & Undercover Tales
16:07 – Who Was Patsy Bolton Wright? Dallas Heiress & Wax Museum Royalty
20:06 – Marriage, Money & The High-Society Gamble
25:02 – The 3AM NyQuil Call: “Something’s Really, Really Wrong”
30:43 – Autopsy Shock: Strychnine Poisoning Confirmed
32:30 – FBI, EPA & The Product Tampering Theory
34:46 – The Suspect List: Ex-Husbands, Horse Trainers & Hidden Motives
47:46 – The Chemical Connection & Another Dead Girlfriend
49:47 – What Happens Next? Part 2 Preview
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