Nurse Admits to Killing Three Patients with Lethal Insulin Doses Among 17 Accusations
Heather Pressdee, a Pennsylvania nurse, has admitted guilt in the deaths of three patients after administering lethal or potentially lethal doses of insulin.
Pressdee, 41, faced a sentencing hearing in Butler, near Pittsburgh, where she received three consecutive life sentences along with an additional consecutive term of 380-760 years in prison.
During the hearing, when one of her lawyers asked why she was pleading guilty, Pressdee simply replied, “Because I am guilty.”
Prosecutors revealed that Pressdee was implicated in the deaths of at least 17 patients across five health facilities in four counties between 2020 and 2023.
The victims, aged between 43 and 104, were subject to her actions, which raised concerns among coworkers who observed her disdain for patients and heard derogatory comments about them.
At the sentencing, family members of the victims condemned Pressdee, labeling her as the “Angel of Death” and describing her as evil personified.
One bereaved family member expressed the depth of their anguish, stating, “I looked into the face of Satan myself the morning she killed my father.”
Pressdee, who faced the possibility of a death sentence, opted to plead guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder.
Originally charged in May 2023 for the killing of two nursing home patients and injuring another, further investigation resulted in additional charges against her.
Despite her initial reluctance to plead guilty, Pressdee eventually agreed during a February hearing, where she engaged minimally with her attorneys and responded tersely to questions.
Nurse Admits to Killing Three Patients with Lethal Insulin Doses Among 17 Accusations
The plea hearing, initially scheduled to last through Friday to accommodate victim impact statements, saw emotional testimonies from those affected by her actions.
Prosecutors alleged that Pressdee, a resident of Harrison, administered excessive insulin doses to 22 patients, even those who weren’t diabetic.
Two patients died at the Quality of Life Services facility in Chicora, where she was employed. Pressdee’s modus operandi often involved administering insulin during overnight shifts, exploiting low staffing levels and delayed emergency responses.
Her nursing license was suspended early in the investigation, following the initial charges. Court documents revealed disturbing text messages Pressdee sent to her mother between April 2022 and May 2023, expressing discontent with patients, colleagues, and even discussing potential harm towards them.
Pressdee’s history of abusive behavior towards patients and staff, leading to resignations or terminations from multiple facilities, was cited by prosecutors.
From 2018 onwards, she held short-term positions at various nursing homes across western Pennsylvania.
Among the victims Pressdee was charged with murdering were Irene Simons, 78, and Sandra Lincoln, 82, who died from unnecessary insulin doses last year.
Nurse Admits to Killing Three Patients with Lethal Insulin Doses Among 17 Accusations
