Scared to Death: How Fright Can Kill

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When 20-year-old Larry Whitfield of Charlotte, N.C., reportedly entered the home of 79-year-old Mary Parnell last September after a botched bank robbery, it is not likely he intended to kill her.
While it is a rare occurrence, medical experts say it is possible for someone litereally to be scared to death.
(ABCNews Photo Illustration)

Yet, Whitfield now faces a charge of first-degree murder, as prosecutors allege that his presence in her home literally scared the woman to death.
Regardless of the legal merits of the case, medical experts support the idea that Parnell may indeed have died from the shock she received during Whitfield's invasion of her home.
"Yes, this could happen and most likely would occur in someone with pre-existing heart disease," said Dr. Stephen Hammill, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and past president of the Heart Rhythm Society.