In Butler, Pennsylvania, nurse Heather Pressdee has pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and numerous other charges related to administering lethal or potentially lethal doses of insulin to patients in various health facilities between 2020 and 2023. Pressdee, 41, was given three consecutive life sentences and another consecutive term of 380-760 years in prison. Prosecutors said that Pressdee played a role in the deaths of at least 17 patients out of 22 total victims, who ranged in age from 43 to 104. Coworkers noted that Pressdee displayed disdain for patients and made derogatory comments about them, raising concerns about her conduct.
In May 2023, Pressdee was initially charged with killing two nursing home patients and injuring a third. Further investigation led to additional charges against her, including three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder. During a February hearing, Pressdee indicated that she wanted to plead guilty and subsequently did so, admitting to her guilt. The plea hearing included victim impact statements, with some individuals expressing that Pressdee had unjustly taken on the role of God by deciding who lived and died, regardless of the patients’ age or health status.
Several people who spoke during the plea hearing accused Pressdee of being evil, unwell, and likened her to Satan. While some individuals recounted the moments leading up to their loved ones’ deaths, Pressdee showed little to no reaction to the speakers, even when being insulted by one individual. Prosecutors alleged that Pressdee administered excessive amounts of insulin to patients, including those who were not diabetic. Most patients died shortly after receiving the insulin doses, which were typically given during overnight shifts to avoid immediate detection.
Pressdee, a resident of Harrison, had her nursing license suspended early last year following the initial charges. According to court documents, she had expressed dissatisfaction with patients and colleagues in texts sent to her mother between April 2022 and May 2023, discussing the idea of causing harm to them. Pressdee had a history of being disciplined for abusive behavior towards patients and staff, leading to her resignation or termination from various facilities where she worked. Similar cases of healthcare workers being convicted of intentionally harming patients have occurred, such as William Davis in Texas, who was sentenced to death for injecting air into patients following heart surgery, and Charles Cullen in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, who killed at least 29 nursing home patients.
