Former Respiratory Therapist, Who Denied Being a Serial Killer, Now Charged with SECOND Murder!
A former hospital respiratory therapist that was previously linked to the death of at least nine patients has now been formally charged with another.
Court documents show that while this particular therapist was employed at Hendrick Medical Center from December 2001 through May 2002, "the rate of cardiac collapse incidents… rose alarmingly. These incidents were viewed as medically suspicious" by hospital staff, say prosecutors, per the documents. The first case that was taken to court was in 2022 when she faced charges in connection to the death of 75-year-old patient Fern Franco. Now, she's facing yet another accusation.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, prosecutors accuse Jennifer Anne Hall of killing David Wesley Harper, 37, more than 20 years ago on March 21, 2002, by "administering unprescribed pharmaceuticals to him" at a Chillicothe, Mo., hospital.
Harper was battling bronchitis when he was admitted to Hendrick Medical Center on March 18, 2002.
Three days later, Hall, now 42, allegedly told nursing staff she entered Harper's room and found him seated on the edge of his bed. Harper allegedly told her he felt ill before falling backward on his bed in "complete respiratory arrest," Hall said, per the documents. He later died.
At the time of his death, Hall was allegedly found with a vial of succinylcholine in her pocket, which she was not certified to administer, prosecutors say.
"The substance used to take Mr. Harpers' life, succinylcholine, paralyzes the victim's muscles, including the diaphragm, causing the victim to suffer a ghastly death from suffocation, while still maintaining full consciousness and awareness that they are unable to breathe and are dying," the documents read.
"It's shocking to know that somebody can think something so horrible of you and the real truth is out there somewhere," Hall previously stated. Hall has been adamant that she had nothing to do with the deaths of these patients but, investigations are proving otherwise.
"Because of Hall's singular proximity to stricken patients, her access to pharmaceuticals which are deadly if misused, and her discovery of, and method of notifying staff of every patient's cardiac emergency, nursing staff believed Hall was responsible for the patient deaths," according to prosecutors.
Hall's defense attorney, Molly Hastings, tells PEOPLE she plans to enter a plea of not guilty to the second murder charge, as well, during Hall's upcoming Wednesday court appearance.
Says Hastings, "I look forward to the opportunity to defend her against each and every one of these allegations and believe the evidence will support an acquittal when we have our day in court."
It is very likely that the families of these victims will receive some sort of closure and a sliver of justice although, nothing can bring back their loved ones.
