Former nursing assistant sentenced in injection deaths of 7 VA patients

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — A former nursing assistant, who admitted to killing seven older veterans with deadly doses of insulin at a West Virginia hospital was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences plus 20 years in federal court Tuesday.

Reta Mays injected insulin into eight VA patients at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg who suffered from Type 2 diabetes between July 2017 and June 2018, according to unsealed court documents, causing hypoglycema. Seven of them died.

“They were there so that she could provide them aid and assistance and comfort. Instead, she cold and callously murdered them,” Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph Bernard said.

One of the victims is Felix McDermott, a Westmoreland County veteran who died in April 2018.

Mays pleaded guilty in July with seven counts of second-degree murder and one count of assault with intent to commit murder.

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William Edge has been waiting for this moment since his father was killed in July 2017. Robert Edge Sr. was one of the seven veterans who died while receiving care from Mays.

“It feels good. It’s hard to feel good about anything like this in general. But we feel like justice is served,” he said. “It’s still very, very sad. But we feel some closure, finally.”

Mays sobbed, including when the victims families addressed her in court for the first time.

That included Melanie Proctor who’s father Felix Mcdermott lived in Westmoreland County and died after being injected by Mays.

“You prayed on them when they were at their weakest. For that you are a coward. May God forgive you as I never will,” Proctor said.

Fighting back tears Mays briefly apologized to the families saying, “I don’t ask for forgiveness because I don’t think I could forgive anyone who did what I did.”

Mays’ attorney said she doesn’t know why she killed the veterans. Before reading the sentence, the judge called Mays a serial killer adding she’s the worst kind of monster because she’s the monster no one ever expects.

Former nursing assistant admits to giving insulin to VA patients with intent to kill Former nursing assistant admits to giving insulin to VA patients with intent to kill

Cox Media Group