Guilty Plea Secures Life Sentences for Heather Pressdee
A former Pennsylvania nurse has been sentenced to life in prison after admitting to a horrific crime spree. Heather Pressdee deliberately injected lethal or potentially lethal insulin doses into 22 patients under her care, resulting in the deaths of three.
Systematic Attacks on Patients Across Multiple Facilities
Prosecutors initiated criminal proceedings against Pressdee in May 2023. Their investigation revealed a systematic pattern of abuse. Between 2020 and 2023, Pressdee targeted patients at five different medical facilities across four counties in the Pittsburgh area. The victims, ranging from 43 to 104 years old, were injected with insulin in amounts deliberately intended to be lethal or life-threatening.
Avoiding Trial and Death Penalty Through Plea Bargain
Pressdee, now 41 years old, opted to plead guilty on Thursday to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder. This decision ensured she would avoid a potentially lengthy trial and the possibility of the death penalty.
Life Sentences Reflect Heinous Crimes
In exchange for her guilty pleas, the judge imposed three consecutive life sentences for the murders. Pressdee was further sentenced to an additional 380 to 760 years in prison for the attempted murders, to be served consecutively.
