A former Missouri hospital respiratory therapist suspected of being involved in the deaths of nine patients under her care was formally charged on Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a 37-year-old patient.
According to court documents, prosecutors accuse Jennifer Anne Hall of killing 37-year-old David Wesley Harper more than 20 years ago on March 21, 2002, by “administering unprescribed pharmaceuticals to him” at a Chillicothe hospital.
Harper was battling bronchitis when he was admitted to Hendrick Medical Center on March 18, 2002.
Three days later, Hall 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.
During Hall’s employment 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.
Eighteen such incidents allegedly occurred during her five-month employment stint, resulting in nine deaths.
According to court documents, prior to Hall’s employment, the hospital averaged one cardiac collapse incident per year.
In 2012, amid speculation of her involvement in the patients’ deaths, Hall agreed to an interview with KMBC where she denied being a serial killer.
“It’s shocking to know that somebody can think something so horrible of you and the real truth is out there somewhere,” Hall told the news station at the time.
This is the second murder charge Hall is facing. In May 2022, she was charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of 75-year-old patient Fern Franco. She pleaded not guilty.
“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, said 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.”
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