HARRISBURG, PA — In a chilling breach of the trust placed in healthcare professionals, a nurse from western Pennsylvania has been sentenced to spend her life behind bars for the calculated murder of patients under her care. Heather Pressdee of Natrona Heights admitted to her grim actions in court on Thursday, pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder across several skilled nursing facilities.
The case, which has sent shockwaves through the communities of Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, and Westmoreland counties, began unfolding in 2020. Pressdee exploited her position as a nurse to administer deadly or dangerous doses of insulin to 22 patients, leading to the swift or eventual death of most. Her sentencing, agreed upon in a plea deal, includes three consecutive life sentences for the murders and an additional 380 to 760 years for the attempted murders, effectively ensuring she will never be free to harm again.
Attorney General Michelle Henry detailed how Pressdee’s heinous acts were a gross misuse of her professional role, poisoning those who were vulnerable and dependent on her for their care. The case not only highlights a grave betrayal but also the diligent efforts of law enforcement and investigative agencies that pieced together the evidence of these horrific crimes.
During the sentencing in Butler County Court, the courtroom was heavy with grief as relatives of the victims shared how the realization that their loved ones’ deaths were not natural but the result of calculated murder exacerbated their suffering. The impact statements laid bare the deep emotional scars left by Pressdee’s actions.
The investigation leading to Pressdee’s conviction began with a referral to the Office of Attorney General in late 2022 about a patient in her charge. A meticulous probe soon uncovered a pattern of fatalities linked to her, culminating in charges filed in May and November of 2023. Since her arrest in May 2023, Pressdee has been in custody.
The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Baxter, along with Edward “Kee” Song and Pete Caravello from the Medicaid Fraud Control Section of the Office of Attorney General, highlights the state’s commitment to upholding justice for the victims and their families.
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