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God or the devil or whatever, wanted me to do it
Wettlaufer

Elizabeth Tracy Mae "Beth" Wettlaufer (born Elizabeth Mae Parker) is a Canadian angel of death-type serial killer and poisoner.

Background

Wettlaufer was born as Elizabeth Mae Parker on June 10, 1967 in Woodstock, Ontario. She was born and raised in a staunchly Baptist home and raised by her "controlling" parents, Doug and Hazel Parker. Doug was said to have been a homophobe who along with several members of his church group disapproved of Glen Hart, a homosexual and childhood friend of Wettlaufer. Her mother was also very compliant to Doug. She was described as very shy and awkward and was bullied a lot. She tried to stop it by adding an "e" to her name, but this did nothing. Wettlaufer went to Huron Park Secondary School during the mid 1980's and her life seemed to improve slightly in high school (as she was a goalie of the school field hockey team and was in several school bands), but was also devious and vindictive. Wettlaufer once pulled a fire alarm in an attempt to get a boy she didn't like in trouble. She also developed asexual feelings and made a failed advancement on another girl. She also wrote poetry. Wettlaufer originally wanted to pursue journalism in college, but later took interest in medication and guidance, graduating from London Baptist Bible College with a bachelor's degree in religious education counseling. Her college years were not without termoil, as Doug, still wanting to keep close tabs on her, also enrolled there and Wettlaufer was once sent home after she went with a girlfriend to a gay-friendly church. She was also put in reparative therapy in an attempt to "un-gay" her. Wettlaufer later said she developed feelings of self-hatred and doubt. She then went on to study nursing at Conestoga College. Wettlaufer was employed at numerous jobs in Woodstock, including a social services agency for disabled people. She married a truck driver named Donnie Wettlaufer in 1997 and developed a number of problems, including Bipolar disorder (to which she got her nursing license restricted after she was caught stealing medication for pain relief), and a near-fatal overdose on said medication. Wettlaufer began seeking help from other women online and Donnie found out that one relationship formed from this had developed deeper and divorced her (saying she was "sick"). Wettlaufer found a new woman named Sheila Andrews (a prison cafeteria worker), moved in with her, and even married her. They continued to live together while Wettlaufer found employment at a long-term care home called Caressant Care, where most of her murders occurred. Andrews reported that Wettlaufer had temper tantrums, tended to act somewhat childish, and showed no interest in helping Andrews' ailing mother.

Murders, Arrest, Incarceration, and Aftermath

Wettlaufer began poisoning patients at Caressant Care, the care-home she worked at. Her first two attempts were unsuccessful (though both victims did later die, Wettlaufer wasn't convicted of their murders and was only convicted of aggravated assault in these cases). Wettlaufer's first fatal victim was James Silcox, a 51-year old WW2 veteran and father of six children, who Wettlaufer murdered on August 11, 2007. Andrews eventually left Wettlaufer, something which left her bitter and presumably drove her to commit further killings. She proceeded to kill seven more patients in the next seven years. Wettlaufer also attempted to kill two more victims but they both survived. She later left Caressant Care and found work at several care facilities (and more victims). Wettlaufer claimed that she did in fact understand the difference between right and wrong, yet claimed she killed because of uncontrollable "surges". She said she felt the "red surge" then heard laughter/cackling that she thought was from the pit of hell.

On September 16, 2016, Wettlaufer entered herself into an impatient drug rehabilitation program at the CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). While there, Wettlaufer confessed to the staff there about her crimes, who in turn informed the College of Nurses of Ontario (and later the Toronto Police Service). Wettlaufer then sent a personal email to said college resigning from her position and confessing her crimes and that she was being investigated by police. She then personally called an investigator from the college and had the CAMH staff fax a four-page confession. She also confessed to a lawyer (who advised her to keep quiet and did not report it to police). On October 25, Wettlaufer admitted to her crimes under interrogation and was charged formally with eight counts of murder, and on January 13, 2017, six more charges consisting of four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault were added.

During her trial, Wettlaufer waived her right to a preliminary hearing and admitted to all charges on June 1. She was subsequently stripped of her nursing license and registration indefinitely and sentenced to eight consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole for 25 years. Wettlaufer was incarcerated at Grand Valley Institution for Women at Kitchener, but was later transferred to an unspecified facility to receive medical treatment in March of 2018.

Both the Attorney General of Ontario and the province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care mutually announced that the provincial government would commission a public inquiry on the day of Wettlaufer's sentencing, with the aim of "get the answers [we] need to help ensure a tragedy such as this does not happen again". It was eventually appointed to Eileen Gillese and it is to investigate deeper into the circumstances surrounding Wettlaufer's life and crimes.

Moudus Operandi

Wettlaufer exclusively targeted patients at the various hospitals and care facilities she worked at. Her victims were elderly Caucasians of both genders. She killed them by injecting them with insulin.

Profile

According to court documentations, Wettlaufer was tormented, yet her capacity to understand right and wrong were never diminished. Personality tests conducted on her concluded she showed significant signs of Borderline Personality Disorder, including an unstable mood, impulsiveness, a fear of being abandoned, unstable relationships, and anger problems. She was also reported as being mentally unstable and having a drug addiction. Wettlaufer has been diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Known Victims

  • Unspecified date: A victimless drug theft
  • 2007
    • June 25: Clotilde Adriano, 87 (suffered from dementia; survived, but died later on; Wettlaufer was only charged with aggravated assault)
    • December 22-23: Maurice "Moe" Granat, 84 (was left immobile from a stroke)
    • December 31: Albina Demedeiros, 88 (Adriano's sister; died later on, but Wettlaufer was only charged with aggravated assault)
  • 2011
    • October 13-14: Gladys Millard, 87
    • October 25-26: Helen Matheson, 95 (suffered from dementia)
    • November 7: Mary Zurawinski, 96
  • July 13-14, 2013: Helen Young, 90
  • 2014
    • March 22-28: Maureen Pickering, 79
    • August 23-31: Arpad Horvath, 75
  • Unspecified dates in 2015: Sandra Towler and Beverly Bertram (both survived)
    • Sandra Towler, 77
    • Beverly Bertram, 68

On Criminal Minds

Sources

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