BUTLER, PA – Heather Pressdee, a Pennsylvania nurse already facing charges for the alleged murder of two patients through insulin overdoses, now faces additional charges after admitting to attempting to kill 19 individuals in various rehabilitation centers where she was employed. These shocking revelations were made public by prosecutors on Thursday. Pressdee, 41, is accused of administering excessive amounts of insulin to 19 patients across five different care facilities between 2020 and this year, resulting in the deaths of 17 patients.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has filed new charges against Pressdee, including two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder, and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person in connection with the 19 patients she allegedly mistreated. Prosecutors clarified that the first-degree murder charges were applied in cases with available physical evidence supporting the cause of death, while attempted murder charges were for cases where victims survived insulin overdoses or the cause of death remained undetermined.
Pressdee had previously been charged in May for mistreating three patients, two of whom died, bringing the total number of allegedly mistreated patients to 22. She typically administered insulin during overnight shifts with low staffing, making it less likely that emergencies would prompt immediate hospitalization.
The criminal complaint states that if Pressdee sensed a victim might survive, she would take additional measures to ensure their death, such as administering a second dose of insulin or using an air embolism. The victims ranged in age from 43 to 104.
Pressdee’s nursing license has been suspended, and she admitted to harming all the patients mentioned in the affidavit. The two first-degree murder charges relate to patient deaths at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, with incidents occurring in 2021 and 2023.
The alleged abuse took place while Pressdee was employed at various facilities, including Concordia at Rebecca Residence, Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Quality Life Services – Chicora, Premier Armstrong Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Pressdee was arraigned, waived her preliminary hearing, and is currently in custody at Butler County Prison without bail. It remains unclear whether she has entered a plea, and there has been no comment from her attorney. Authorities began investigating Pressdee after a family member of a deceased patient reported her involvement in improper insulin administration. Investigations revealed a pattern of abusive behavior toward patients and staff at her previous jobs.