True Crime Friday: Heather Pressdee, The Pennsylvania Nurse Serial Killer

Heather Pressdee is a 41 year old nurse from Pennsylvania who administered lethal doses of insulin to several patients. She pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and other charges. Heather was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She played a role in the deaths of at least 17 patients who lived in five different health facilities in four counties between 2020 and 2023.

Heather Pressdee had victims in the ranges in age from 43 to 104. Pressdee's frequently showed disdain for her patients and made derogatory comments about them according to her co-workers. It was said that she bullied and tormented her patients.

The Early Child Hood of Heather Pressdee

Not much is known about Heather’s childhood. I am assuming it was not a happy one. She seems to have a relationship with her mother since she was texting her to explain how sad and unhappy she was with life. With my research of serial killers they rarely start this late in life with murdering people. I think Heather may have killed more people than reported. This is just my opinion.

The Facility Where Heather Pressdee Murdered Patient(s)

Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is one of the facilities where Pressdee committed murder. Pressdee had a history of being disciplined for abusive behavior towards patients as well as staff at each facility resulting in her resigning or being terminated. Beginning in 2018, Pressdee held a number of jobs at western Pennsylvania nursing homes and facilities for short periods, according to court documents. Pressdee sent her mother texts between April 2022 and May 2023 in which she discussed her unhappiness with various patients and colleagues, and spoke about potentially harming them. She also voiced similar complaints about people she encountered at restaurants and other places.

The Victim(s) of Heather Pressdee

Nicholas Cymbol, 43

Heather Pressdee had at least 22 victims that we know of but was convicted of murdering 17 people. Their names are unknown at this time except for Nicholas  Cymbol, whose family filed a lawsuit. but the impact of their murders if still significant to their families. Several family members gave victim impact statements. Some stated that Heather was trying to play God which cost their loved ones their lives. Pressdee did not responds to the families of the victim, even when one shouted an expletive at her that led the courtroom gallery to break out in applause. She is not sick. She is not insane. She is evil personified. “I looked into the face of Satan myself the morning she killed my father.” Said by one of the victim’s family member.

Pressdee, gave excessive amounts of insulin to 22 patients, including some who were not even diabetic. She typically administered the insulin during overnight shifts, when staffing was low and the emergencies would not prompt immediate hospitalization. Most of the patients died soon after receiving the insulin dose. The family of a severely diabetic man who died at the hands of Heather Pressdee filed a wrongful death suit against the facility where he lived. Per the court documents the facility allowed the Pressdee to berate and bully the patient which ultimately played a role in his death. Pressdee, was hired in January 2023 and was the manager of the unit where Nicholas Cymbol lived. In that role, she was responsible for providing direct care to residents. She was also there to address resident care concerns and conducting internal investigations into staff complaints or abuse.

Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where patient Nicholas Cymbol died May 1, 2023. The family’s attorney Rob Peirce alleges the center and its operator were negligent, failed to train employees to recognize and report abuse, and failed to remove Pressdee from Cymbol’s care even though she had bullied him and called him derogatory names.

Lady Justice

Heather Pressdee faced a death sentence but pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder to avoid being executed. When one of her lawyers asked her why she was pleading guilty, Pressdee replied, “Because I am guilty.” Heather Pressdee was sentenced to life in prison. She will never be eligible for parole.

Reference

Former Pennsylvania Nurse Gets Life Sentence in Insulin Deaths - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Nurse charged in the deaths of 17 patients berated and bullied diabetic man before giving lethal insulin dose, suit says (nbcnews.com)

Pennsylvania nurse who gave patients lethal or possibly lethal insulin doses gets life in prison - ABC News (go.com)

Pennsylvania nurse who gave patients lethal or possibly lethal insulin doses gets life in prison (msn.com)

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