FREDERICTON - Police in Fredericton say they arrested a suspect three weeks ago in the 2008 death of a woman at a hospital in the city but had to release him.
Fredericton police Const. Rick Mooney provided an update Monday on the case of Patricia Ann Kucerovsky.
The 43-year-old woman died at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital on Aug. 19, 2008, as the result of heavy metal poisoning.
"We're talking about mercury poisoning, and very significant levels of mercury in her system," Mooney said.
Mooney said Kucerovsky was in the hospital for about a month before her death, but had been ill because of the mercury for at least a few months. He said he didn't know how the mercury was administered to her.
He said a Fredericton man was arrested and interviewed but released without conditions three weeks ago.
"Detectives felt they had reasonable and probable grounds, but at this point there is more work to do in the investigation," he said.
Mooney said the man remains a suspect in Kucerovsky's death.
When asked why police waited three weeks to say they arrested and released a suspect, Mooney said there's "no perfect time" to release such information.
He said the investigation has been very complex because of the mercury poisoning.
"That particular fact, in and of itself, presents us with investigational challenges which we've had to face all through this investigation."
