Mario Jascalevich

Mario D Jascalevich (? - 1984) was a physician tried for the murder of five of his patients with curare. He was acquitted. The case is often referred to as the “Dr X” killings.

Career
Jascalevich moved to the United States from Argentina in 1955, setting up his practice in New Jersey.

Investigation
In 1966, authorities launched an investigation of nine suspicious deaths at Riverdell Hospital, Oradell, New Jersey. The patients had been admitted to the hospital for surgery and died of unrelated causes, before or after routine surgical procedures.

Possible Victims

 * Carl Rohrbeck, age 73, died December 13, 1965
 * Nancy Savino, age 4, March 21 1966.
 * Margaret Henderson, 26, April 23 1966.
 * Edith Post, age 62, May 17 1966.
 * Ira Holster, age 64, July 29.
 * Frank Biggs, age 59, August 27(?) 1966
 * Mary Muentener, age 80, September 1 1966.
 * Emma Arzt, age 70, September 23.
 * Eileen Shaw, 36, October 23 1966.

The investigation was commenced on November 1, 1966, after eighteen vials of curare - most nearly empty - were found in a locker assigned to Dr. Mario Jascalevich. When confronted, he explained that he had been experimenting with dogs. No motive could be ascertained for homicide. Ten years passed before the state charged Jascalevich with five counts of murder, in May 1976.

Trial
Jascalevich was accused of killing Savino, Henderson, Rohrbeck, Biggs and Arzt. At trial, in 1978, two of the murder counts were dismissed for lack of evidence. After 34 weeks of testimony, Jascalevich was acquitted by jurors on October 24.

Jascalevich returned to Argentina a short time later. He died there, of a cerebral hemorrhage, in September 1984. The deaths at Riverdell remain unsolved today although Jascalevich is assumed by some to have been guilty.