A series of 11 suspicious deaths at Louis A. Johnson Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in rural
Clarksburg, Virginia over a period of about a year in 2017-2018 led to an
investigation in June 2018. Two year later, on July 14, 2020, nurse assistant Reta
Mays (46), pleaded guilty to seven Federal counts of second-degree murder and
one count of assault with intent to commit murder. Mays is suspected of having injected
lethal doses of insulin into eight veterans, causing their blood sugar levels
to drop to dangerously low levels. Seven died shortly after.
Mays began working at the Johnson VA Center in June of 2015 and was
assigned to work the night shift in Ward 3A. “As a nursing assistant, Mays
was responsible for, among other things, acting as a one-on-one sitter for
patients, checking vital signs and testing blood sugar levels, but
she was not qualified to administer medication, including insulin.” [USA Today,
7/14/20]
Mays had maintained her innocence until just the day before
her July 14 formal guilty plea. A sentencing hearing is scheduled. “Mays is a
veteran and during her plea there was a brief mention that she is taking
medication for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” [WVA Metro News, 7/16/20]
“Her plea bargain includes seven life sentences for the
murder charges, a 20-year sentence for the charge of assault with intent to
commit murder, and a $500,000 fine.” [7/14/20, Yahoo News]
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VICTIMS
Jul. 21, 2017 – Robert Edge, Sr., 82, dies.
Jan. 2018 – Robert Kozul, 89, dies.
Mar. 2018 – Archie Dail Edgell, 84; Army veteran, dies.
Apr. 9, 2018 – Felix
Kirk McDermott, 82. Army veteran, dies.
Apr. 10, 2018 – George Nelson Shaw Sr., 81; Air Force veteran,
dies.
Apr. 2018 – William "Sport" Holloway, 96; Army
veteran, dies.
Jun. 7, 2018 – Raymond Golden, 88, dies.
John Hallman, 87; Navy veteran, dies.
W.A.H. dies.
R.R.P., died 2 weeks after insulin injection.
***
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She was not a nurse, she was an aide.
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