Reporter’s Notebook: KCTV5’s deep dive into the Robert Courtney case

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Robert Courtney case impacted at least 4,000 patients across Kansas City. He was a trusted pharmacist who diluted life-saving medication for extra money.

Multiple people in our newsroom have personal connections to the case. Whenever there’s a development, we stop and think about a father who died of lung cancer or a grandmother who died of breast cancer. Others have connections through marriage. All the stories are terrible.

These deaths crushed families. Then came the gut punch — learning a pharmacist diluted medicine. Maybe even theirs.

Courtney didn’t keep notes, so what exactly happened in each case remains a mystery.

An FBI sting revealed Courtney diluted chemotherapy treatments. Testing revealed medication was diluted anywhere from 30 percent to mere traces of medication. Courtney later admitted he watered down medication for AIDS, fertility, diabetes and even eye drops.

I’m from Kansas City and remember when Courtney was arrested. It was so shocking to learn a pharmacist could do this. The case drew national attention- but quickly faded into a local story due to the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

This was the FBI’s No.1 case until the towers fell. Agents were in Washington DC to discuss the “Diluted Trust” case when a plane crashed into the Pentagon.

The case is exhausting for local families who have endured loss, shock, a plea deal, sentencing, civil trial and now victim notifications of Courtney’s release. His release to home confinement comes earlier than expected.

We have reviewed old reports and discovered an entire box of raw tapes in the KCTV5 “tape morgue.” Former reporter Russell Kinsaul saved all the recordings from the hearings he covered and interviews he did with families.

We reached out to key players in the case. Former FBI special agent Melissa Osborne is writing a book about the case and agreed to an in-depth interview about the interrogations she did with Robert Courtney as part of his plea deal.

We also interviewed Darryl Ashley, the former pharmaceutical representative with Eli Lilly who first voiced suspicions that a trusted pharmacist may be diluting medicine.

Multiple families shared personal stories of the deaths of their loved ones where full-strength treatments might have made a difference.

We have connected with families who prefer phone calls and emails. All are disgusted Courtney being shown grace when he had no grace for their loved ones. We also dug into a new federal law that allows for the early release of “non-violent” offenders — the First Step Act.

We reached out to Robert Courtney but never heard back. We’ve reviewed the motions he has personally filed in court where he claims “prison works” and a 30-year sentence is no longer just. He writes he deserves mercy.

In the end, we need a full hour to tell you about one of the most sinister crimes to ever take place in Kansas City.

“Diluted” airs Sunday, July 21, on KCTV5 at 7 p.m.

We will also have special reports in the days leading up to Robert Courtney’s release from prison to home confinement.

Thank you to all the families who trusted us to share the stories of their loved ones.

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