There are happenings we can only imagine, hallucinate over, or at best see in the movies. But when these unthinkable events become reality, we are forced to ask many questions or in this case, ponder why Kristen Gilbert became a serial killer.
After a series of court sittings, on March 27, 2001, the Massachusetts woman was found guilty by a federal jury for first and second-degree murder charges. This was the beginning of the life imprisonment sentence the former nurse who came to be known as “The Angel of Death” received. Did you know that she is the inspiration behind M. William Phelps’ book titled “Perfect Poison”? Things you should know about the American serial killer are contained in the facts listed below.
Facts You Probably Don’t Know About This Angel of Death
1. She Was Raised In a Decent Family
Kristen Gilbert was born on the 13th of November 1967 in Fall River, Massachusetts. She year-old rounded up her high school education at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School at the age of 16 and thereafter attended two other colleges before proceeding to Greenfield Community College.
She grew up in a lovely family with no record of abuse, at least to the best of our knowledge. Her father Richard Strickland was an Electronic Executive and her mother named Claudia was a part-time teacher and housewife. From all indications, they did well in raising their two beautiful daughters, Kristen is the oldest of the two.
2. But Kristen Gilbert Was a Troubled Teenager
There were reports of her weirdness and underlying mental challenges from her high school days. For instance, the young Kristen was fond of continually faking attempting suicide to manipulate people around her. Even her court records testified to her age-long battle with depression.
Among other things, it is said that she liked threatening fellow students. It was because of all these bizarre behavior that she was checked into a psychiatric home run by Bridgewater State College barely a year after she enrolled in the institution.
3. The Angel of Death Was Once a Married Woman
It was in 1988 that she got married to a man who has been identified as Glenn Gilbert and together, they gave birth to two sons. Among other things, alleged violence towards her husband led to the end of the union in 1995.
4. The Serial Killer Was a Nurse
She went from Bridgewater College to Mount Wachusett Community College and then to Greenfield Community College all in Massachusetts, pursuing a diploma in nursing which she eventually earned in 1988 to become a registered nurse.
Before her first arrest in 1998, Kristen worked with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) as a nurse. She joined the Northampton center in 1989 and left in 1996 in the middle of an investigation in the hospital bordering on the increase in death rates under her watch.
5. A Nurse That Possibly Caused the Death of 300 Patients
When it came to light that she was a serial killer and was being investigated, it was revealed by the management of the Veteran Affairs Medical Center and some of its staff that Kristen Gilbert may have been responsible for the avoidable deaths of about 300 of its patients. This is because, she was known for creating unnecessary medical crisis emergencies which were mainly to get the attention of her former boyfriend and co-worker, James Perrault.
See Also: Tsutomu Miyazaki – Everything To Know About The Japanese Serial Killer
6. How She Became The Angel of Death
It was a nickname she came to be known for after the number of deaths kept increasing on the days she was on duty. Although the phrase “Angel of death” was coined by her co-workers and was only uttered as a joke towards Kristen, the disturbing nickname would later prove to be a suitable one for her.
7. Who Were Her Victims, Why and How She Killed Them
By the time the 52-years-old American was arraigned for her crimes, it was discovered that she had killed a total of four of her patients who were under her care. Their names are Stanley Jagodowski, Kenneth Cutting, Henry Hudon, and Edward Skwira.
Her victims were between the age of 30 and 60; there are no exact reasons why she killed them other than what was obvious: she had been sick in the mind. In one of her treacherous and heinous crimes, she removed the breathing tube of a patient and left another who had cardiac arrest to die. She is also said to have injected poisonous substances such as doses of epinephrine into her patient’s treatment module.
8. She May Have Killed to Get the Attention of Her Lover
According to reports, the serial killer administered more than enough epinephrine (adrenaline) which is used during emergency treatments. As a result of this, her patients go into cardiac arrest. There were strong indications she was doing this to get the attention of her lover, a hospital security guard at the hospital, James Perrault. She wanted to show him her patient reviving skills.
9. Gilbert was Convicted for a Fake Bomb Threat
She was initially given a 15 months prison sentence in April 1998 for calling in a bomb threat at the Northampton VAMC. This was to get back at her colleagues and James Perrault for taking part in the investigation against her. However, in some quarters it was alleged she did it in order to shift the attention on herself.
10. Where Is Kristen Gilbert Now?
For her crimes, she was sentenced to four consecutive life terms with no option of parole. As such, she has been serving her sentence at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, Texas. According to recent reports, she may be seeking a retrial in the nearest future.