Nancy Ann Keeshin was born around 1964 in the United States. She earned a bachelor's degree in business and a master's in design. In 1987, she met Robert Kissel, and they married in 1989. While Robert pursued his master's degree in finance at New York University, Nancy worked multiple jobs in the catering industry to support them. The couple had three children together. In 1997, Robert's career led the family to relocate to Hong Kong, where he secured a high-paying position as an investment banker. Nancy took on the role of a homemaker, immersing herself in the expatriate community and engaging in volunteer work at the Hong Kong International School. Despite their affluent lifestyle, the marriage faced challenges, with Nancy expressing feelings of isolation and dissatisfaction. ​

In mid-2003, during a return trip to the U.S. amid the SARS outbreak, Nancy began an extramarital affair with Michael Del Priore, a television repairman who had previously worked on the Kissels' Vermont vacation home. Robert grew suspicious of Nancy's behavior and hired a private investigator, Frank Shea, to monitor her activities. He also installed spyware on her computer, uncovering evidence of her infidelity. On November 2, 2003, in their Hong Kong apartment, Nancy prepared a strawberry milkshake laced with a cocktail of sedatives, including Stilnox, and had their six-year-old daughter serve it to Robert. Once he was incapacitated, Nancy bludgeoned him to death with a heavy metal ornament, inflicting five fatal head wounds. She then wrapped his body in a carpet and arranged for it to be moved to a rented storage unit within their apartment complex. ​

Nancy was arrested shortly after the discovery of Robert's body. During her trial, she claimed self-defense, alleging that Robert had been abusive and had attempted to attack her on the night of the murder. The prosecution, however, argued that the murder was premeditated, highlighting her procurement of sedatives and her affair as motives. In September 2005, Nancy was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Her conviction was overturned in February 2010 due to legal errors, leading to a retrial. In March 2011, she was again found guilty and received a life sentence. Nancy Kissel is currently serving her sentence at the Tai Lam Centre for Women in Hong Kong. ​