In October 1999, Majors was found guilty of murdering six patients, and was sentenced to 360 years in prison. Additionally, some of the deadly substances that were allegedly used in the murders were found at his house. However, other evidence that was admissible included witnesses who heard Majors refer to elderly patients as "a waste" and by various derogatory terms. Some of the witnesses testified that he hated elderly people, and that he believed that they "should be gassed".Ī judge ruled that the supervisory study that showed the number of deaths rose during the duration of Majors' employment at the hospital was inadmissible as evidence because Majors was only being tried for six murders. A total of 79 witnesses were called to the stand at his trial. The license of Majors to practice nursing was suspended in 1995, leading to termination of his employment, and the death rate at the hospital dropped to prior levels.Īfter the state of Indiana launched a criminal investigation, Majors was arrested in December 1997. He was believed to be injecting potassium chloride as his murder weapon. Suspicion in reference to the large number of deaths landed on Majors in part because of his behaviors and attitudes, and a supervisory study that determined that nearly twice as many patients died when Majors was on duty than with any other nurses.Īdditionally, Majors was the only nurse present at the deaths of seven patients. Prior to the time when Majors began employment at the hospital, an average of around 26 patients died annually.Īfter Majors started working at the facility, however, this rate skyrocketed to more than 100 per year, with nearly one out of every three patients admitted to the hospital dying. Suspicion first developed when a large number of deaths began occurring at Vermillion County Hospital, where Majors worked. It was reported that he murdered patients who were demanding, whiny, or disproportionately added to his work load. Though he was only tried for six murders, he is believed to have committed as many as 130 between 19, the period of time for which he was employed by the hospital where the deaths occurred, and for which he was investigated. Orville Lynn Majors (born 24 April 1961) is a former licensed practical nurse from Clinton, Indiana who was convicted of murdering his patients. Status: Sentenced to 360 years in prison on November 13, 1999 Method of murder: Poisoning (lethal doses of potassium chloride and epinephrine) Victims profile: Mary Ann Alderson, 69 Dorothea Hixon, 80 Cecil Smith, 74 Luella Hopkins, 89 Margaret Hornick, 79 Freddie Wilson, 56 and Derek Maxwell, Sr., 64 (patients) Characteristics: Poisoner - Nurse - He hated elderly people and he believed that they "should be gassed"
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