Genene Jones
Pediatric Nurse Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Kerrville, Texas
TIME PERIOD
1970–1982
VICTIMS
60 confirmed
Genene Anne Jones, a licensed vocational nurse, is implicated in the deaths of potentially over 60 infants and children during her tenure at Bexar County Hospital and later at a pediatric clinic in Kerrville, Texas, from 1970 to 1982. She was apprehended on November 21, 1982, after a significant number of children died under her care, raising suspicions of foul play. Jones was convicted in 1984 for the murder of one child and the injury of another, receiving a 99-year prison sentence. Despite her conviction, the full extent of her crimes remains obscured due to the destruction of hospital records. Currently, Jones is serving her sentence and remains a subject of ongoing investigation regarding additional victims.
Many believe that Genene Jones may have been motivated by a desire for attention or a need to control life-and-death situations, as she thrived in the chaos of medical emergencies she created. Some speculate that the hospital's administration actively covered up her actions to avoid litigation, leading to the destruction of crucial records that could have identified more victims. There are also theories suggesting that she may have had accomplices or that her actions were part of a larger pattern of negligence within the healthcare system at the time.
The Sinister Legacy of Genene Jones: Angel of Death
On the surface, Genene Anne Jones appeared to be an ordinary nurse dedicated to the care of children. Born on July 13, 1950, in Texas, she would later gain infamy as one of America’s most notorious serial killers, believed to be responsible for the deaths of up to 60 infants and children during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her story is one of betrayal, manipulation, and a chilling lack of remorse.
Early Life and Tumultuous Marriages
Adopted by a nightclub owner and his wife, Jones' early life was seemingly unremarkable. She initially pursued a career as a beautician before venturing into nursing in the late 1970s. Her personal life was marked by turbulence. Jones married her high school sweetheart in 1968, and they welcomed a child before divorcing in 1974. In a turn of events, they reconciled three years later and had another child in 1977. However, this reunion was short-lived. Just before her indictment, Jones married a 19-year-old nursing assistant, but this marriage too ended swiftly in divorce.
Career and the Dark Path
Jones's professional journey in healthcare began at the Bexar County Hospital, now known as University Hospital of San Antonio, where she worked as a licensed vocational nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit. It was here that a disturbing pattern emerged: a statistically improbable number of children were dying under her care. The hospital, fearing lawsuits, took a drastic step by requesting all LVNs, including Jones, to resign. Instead of investigating further, they replaced the staff with registered nurses.
Undeterred, Jones found a new position at a pediatrician's clinic in Kerrville, Texas, roughly 60 miles from San Antonio. It was at this clinic that her sinister activities came to light. A doctor discovered two puncture marks on a bottle of succinylcholine, a potent paralytic drug, to which only he and Jones had access. The drug, which causes temporary paralysis, including that of the respiratory muscles, was dangerously diluted with saline, leaving the children susceptible to cardiac arrest from lack of oxygen.
Jones defended her actions by claiming she was trying to stimulate the establishment of a pediatric intensive care unit in Kerrville, but the evidence suggested otherwise.
The Prosecution and Conviction
In 1984, the law caught up with Jones. She was convicted of murdering 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan using succinylcholine and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Additional charges followed for causing harm to several other children: Brandy Benites on August 27, Chris Parker and Jimmy Pearson on August 30, Misty Reichenau on September 3, and Jacob Evans on September 17. Each indictment accused her of intentionally and knowingly injuring the children with succinylcholine or another drug. Later in 1984, she received a concurrent 60-year sentence for nearly killing Rolando Santos with heparin.
A Narrow Escape and New Charges
By May 2016, Jones found herself at the Lane Murray Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She was scheduled for mandatory release in 2018 due to a Texas law designed to alleviate prison overcrowding. To prevent this, she was indicted on May 25, 2017, for the murder of 11-month-old Joshua Sawyer. Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood indicated that more charges could be filed for additional child deaths. The new charges aimed to keep Jones behind bars, as the early-release law meant she would have otherwise served only a third of her sentence.
In January 2020, Jones pleaded guilty to the murder of Joshua Sawyer, as part of a plea bargain that saw four other charges dropped. Sentenced to life in prison, she will not be eligible for parole until she is approximately 87 years old, around 2037.
Infamy in Popular Culture
The chilling tale of Genene Jones has seeped into popular culture. Stephen King has cited her as partial inspiration for Annie Wilkes, the malevolent nurse in his novel "Misery." Susan Ruttan portrayed Jones in the television movie "Deadly Medicine" (1991), and Alicia Bartya took on the role in "Mass Murder" (2002). Jones's life and crimes have been featured in various documentaries and series, including "Lethal Injection" on the Discovery Channel, "Nursery Crimes" on Forensic Files, and "Nurses Who Kill" on Netflix.
Sources
For further reading, visit the original Wikipedia article: Genene Jones on Wikipedia.
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Crimes Begin
Genene Jones starts her nursing career, leading to numerous unexplained deaths of infants.
Arrest
Genene Jones is arrested for the murder of infants in her care after a series of suspicious deaths.
Conviction
Jones is convicted of murder for the death of 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan and injuring other children.
Sentencing
Jones is sentenced to 99 years in prison for murder and an additional 60 years for attempted murder.
New Charges Filed
Jones is indicted for the murder of 11-month-old Joshua Sawyer to prevent her early release.
Court Denial
A judge denies a request to dismiss new murder indictments against Genene Jones.
Guilty Plea
Jones pleads guilty to the murder of Joshua Sawyer and is sentenced to life in prison.
Parole Eligibility
Genene Jones will be eligible for parole at the age of 87, after serving her life sentence.
Genene Anne Jones, a licensed vocational nurse, is implicated in the deaths of potentially over 60 infants and children during her tenure at Bexar County Hospital and later at a pediatric clinic in Kerrville, Texas, from 1970 to 1982. She was apprehended on November 21, 1982, after a significant number of children died under her care, raising suspicions of foul play. Jones was convicted in 1984 for the murder of one child and the injury of another, receiving a 99-year prison sentence. Despite her conviction, the full extent of her crimes remains obscured due to the destruction of hospital records. Currently, Jones is serving her sentence and remains a subject of ongoing investigation regarding additional victims.
Many believe that Genene Jones may have been motivated by a desire for attention or a need to control life-and-death situations, as she thrived in the chaos of medical emergencies she created. Some speculate that the hospital's administration actively covered up her actions to avoid litigation, leading to the destruction of crucial records that could have identified more victims. There are also theories suggesting that she may have had accomplices or that her actions were part of a larger pattern of negligence within the healthcare system at the time.
The Sinister Legacy of Genene Jones: Angel of Death
On the surface, Genene Anne Jones appeared to be an ordinary nurse dedicated to the care of children. Born on July 13, 1950, in Texas, she would later gain infamy as one of America’s most notorious serial killers, believed to be responsible for the deaths of up to 60 infants and children during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her story is one of betrayal, manipulation, and a chilling lack of remorse.
Early Life and Tumultuous Marriages
Adopted by a nightclub owner and his wife, Jones' early life was seemingly unremarkable. She initially pursued a career as a beautician before venturing into nursing in the late 1970s. Her personal life was marked by turbulence. Jones married her high school sweetheart in 1968, and they welcomed a child before divorcing in 1974. In a turn of events, they reconciled three years later and had another child in 1977. However, this reunion was short-lived. Just before her indictment, Jones married a 19-year-old nursing assistant, but this marriage too ended swiftly in divorce.
Career and the Dark Path
Jones's professional journey in healthcare began at the Bexar County Hospital, now known as University Hospital of San Antonio, where she worked as a licensed vocational nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit. It was here that a disturbing pattern emerged: a statistically improbable number of children were dying under her care. The hospital, fearing lawsuits, took a drastic step by requesting all LVNs, including Jones, to resign. Instead of investigating further, they replaced the staff with registered nurses.
Undeterred, Jones found a new position at a pediatrician's clinic in Kerrville, Texas, roughly 60 miles from San Antonio. It was at this clinic that her sinister activities came to light. A doctor discovered two puncture marks on a bottle of succinylcholine, a potent paralytic drug, to which only he and Jones had access. The drug, which causes temporary paralysis, including that of the respiratory muscles, was dangerously diluted with saline, leaving the children susceptible to cardiac arrest from lack of oxygen.
Jones defended her actions by claiming she was trying to stimulate the establishment of a pediatric intensive care unit in Kerrville, but the evidence suggested otherwise.
The Prosecution and Conviction
In 1984, the law caught up with Jones. She was convicted of murdering 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan using succinylcholine and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Additional charges followed for causing harm to several other children: Brandy Benites on August 27, Chris Parker and Jimmy Pearson on August 30, Misty Reichenau on September 3, and Jacob Evans on September 17. Each indictment accused her of intentionally and knowingly injuring the children with succinylcholine or another drug. Later in 1984, she received a concurrent 60-year sentence for nearly killing Rolando Santos with heparin.
A Narrow Escape and New Charges
By May 2016, Jones found herself at the Lane Murray Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She was scheduled for mandatory release in 2018 due to a Texas law designed to alleviate prison overcrowding. To prevent this, she was indicted on May 25, 2017, for the murder of 11-month-old Joshua Sawyer. Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood indicated that more charges could be filed for additional child deaths. The new charges aimed to keep Jones behind bars, as the early-release law meant she would have otherwise served only a third of her sentence.
In January 2020, Jones pleaded guilty to the murder of Joshua Sawyer, as part of a plea bargain that saw four other charges dropped. Sentenced to life in prison, she will not be eligible for parole until she is approximately 87 years old, around 2037.
Infamy in Popular Culture
The chilling tale of Genene Jones has seeped into popular culture. Stephen King has cited her as partial inspiration for Annie Wilkes, the malevolent nurse in his novel "Misery." Susan Ruttan portrayed Jones in the television movie "Deadly Medicine" (1991), and Alicia Bartya took on the role in "Mass Murder" (2002). Jones's life and crimes have been featured in various documentaries and series, including "Lethal Injection" on the Discovery Channel, "Nursery Crimes" on Forensic Files, and "Nurses Who Kill" on Netflix.
Sources
For further reading, visit the original Wikipedia article: Genene Jones on Wikipedia.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Crimes Begin
Genene Jones starts her nursing career, leading to numerous unexplained deaths of infants.
Arrest
Genene Jones is arrested for the murder of infants in her care after a series of suspicious deaths.
Conviction
Jones is convicted of murder for the death of 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan and injuring other children.
Sentencing
Jones is sentenced to 99 years in prison for murder and an additional 60 years for attempted murder.
New Charges Filed
Jones is indicted for the murder of 11-month-old Joshua Sawyer to prevent her early release.
Court Denial
A judge denies a request to dismiss new murder indictments against Genene Jones.
Guilty Plea
Jones pleads guilty to the murder of Joshua Sawyer and is sentenced to life in prison.
Parole Eligibility
Genene Jones will be eligible for parole at the age of 87, after serving her life sentence.