Orville Lynn Majors
Nurse Serial Killer Case
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Clinton, Indiana
TIME PERIOD
1993-1995
VICTIMS
6 confirmed
Orville Lynn Majors, a licensed practical nurse, was convicted of murdering at least six patients at Vermillion County Hospital in Clinton, Indiana, between 1993 and 1995. The investigation into his actions began after a significant increase in the hospital's death rate coincided with his employment; the annual death toll rose from approximately 26 to over 100 patients. Majors was apprehended in 1997 and subsequently sentenced to 360 years in prison, although he is believed to have caused many more deaths, with estimates ranging from six to as many as 130. He died in custody on September 24, 2017, while serving his sentence. Key evidence included unusual patterns in patient deaths and testimonies from medical staff regarding Majors' behavior and the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
Orville Lynn Majors is believed to have murdered patients whom he found demanding or burdensome, with speculation suggesting that he may have caused many more deaths than those for which he was convicted. Some theories propose that his actions were driven by a desire to alleviate his own workload rather than any personal vendetta against specific individuals. Investigators and the public have also speculated about potential systemic failures in the hospital that allowed his crimes to go undetected for so long.
The Sinister Caregiver: The Case of Orville Lynn Majors
A Chilling Introduction
In the quiet town of Clinton, Indiana, nestled north of Terre Haute, a sinister plot unfolded at the Vermillion County Hospital between 1993 and 1995. Orville Lynn Majors, a licensed practical nurse, would later be convicted of a series of murders, altering the lives of countless families and leaving a dark legacy. Despite being convicted for six murders, suspicions loomed over Majors for potentially causing the deaths of up to 130 patients. These were no ordinary deaths; they were those of individuals whom Majors deemed "demanding" or "whiny," or those whom he felt added excessively to his workload.
The Early Years
Born in Linton, Indiana, on April 24, 1961, Orville Lynn Majors spent his formative years caring for his elderly grandmother. This experience led him down the path of nursing. By 1989, Majors had graduated from Nashville Memorial School of Practical Nursing and soon began working at Vermillion County Hospital in Clinton. A brief stint in Tennessee for a higher-paying job followed, but he returned to the hospital in 1993.
Rising Suspicions
Majors quickly became a beloved figure at the hospital, especially among elderly patients, receiving glowing evaluations. However, beneath the surface of admiration, a horrifying pattern was emerging. When Majors was on duty, the hospital's death rate soared from an average of 26 annual deaths to more than 100, a grim statistic for a 56-bed hospital with a modest four-bed intensive care unit. Patients who were admitted without serious issues suddenly deteriorated or died, often displaying abnormal heart rhythms or succumbing to conditions they hadn't previously had.
Nurses and staff began to notice the troubling correlation between Majors's shifts and the spike in deaths. By 1995, nursing supervisor Dawn Stirek's concerns prompted her to examine time cards, revealing that Majors was on duty for 130 of the 147 deaths during that period. Alarmed by these findings, hospital officials contacted the Indiana State Police, suspending Majors pending investigation. The Indiana State Nursing Board also suspended his license for five years for exceeding his authority by administering emergency drugs and working in an ICU without a doctor.
The Investigation Unfolds
The investigation revealed a chilling statistic: when Majors was on duty, a patient died every 23 hours. In stark contrast, when he wasn't working, the death rate plummeted to one death every 551 hours, or roughly every 23 days. This pattern suggested that patients were 42 times more likely to die under Majors's care.
Majors, meanwhile, vehemently denied any wrongdoing, even as he ran a pet store in his hometown of Linton. He hired a lawyer and appeared on talk shows to proclaim his innocence. Yet, his public appearances only encouraged grieving relatives to come forward, reporting suspicious behavior by Majors before their loved ones died—many had coded or died shortly after receiving injections from him.
State police, assisted by electrophysiologist Eric N. Prystowsky, analyzed heart patterns, suspecting potassium overdose, sudden heart attacks, or large clots in the lungs as possible causes. In September 1995, officials exhumed 15 bodies, all of whom had widening heart patterns and had received injections from Majors. The absence of heart attacks or clots confirmed the grim reality: these patients had been murdered. A search of Majors's home uncovered vials of potassium chloride and epinephrine, traceable back to the hospital.
The Trial
After a two-year investigation, Majors was arrested in December 1997 and charged with seven murders. Prosecutors believed he was responsible for between 100 to 130 deaths but focused on seven cases to avoid overwhelming the jury. During the 1999 trial, 79 witnesses took the stand, some testifying to Majors's disdain for the elderly, with one witness recounting Majors's belief that elderly people "should be gassed."
On October 17, 1999, the jury convicted Majors on six counts of murder, deadlocking on the seventh due to the victim's prolonged death. Judge Ernest Yelton sentenced Majors to six consecutive 60-year terms, ensuring he would die in prison. The judge described Majors's actions as "diabolical acts" and "a parallel of evil at its most wicked."
The Aftermath
In the wake of the scandal, Vermillion County Hospital, renamed West Central Community Hospital, faced wrongful-death suits from the families of 80 patients. Most settled, receiving compensation from a state patients' fund. The hospital itself faced an $80,000 fine for negligence and code violations and temporarily lost accreditation, leading to a brief shutdown. By 2009, Union Hospital from Terre Haute took over, renaming it Union Hospital Clinton.
Despite Majors's appeals to the Indiana Supreme Court, the verdict stood firm in 2002. He served his sentence at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, where he died of heart failure on September 24, 2017, at the age of 56.
Sources
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
Orville Lynn Majors begins working at Vermillion County Hospital, where suspicious patient deaths start to rise.
Suspicion Arises
Nursing supervisor Dawn Stirek discovers Majors was on duty during 130 of 147 patient deaths.
Investigation Intensifies
State police begin exhuming bodies of patients who died under Majors' care, finding evidence of murder.
Majors Arrested
Orville Lynn Majors is arrested and charged with seven murders after a two-year investigation.
Conviction
Majors is convicted of six murders; the jury deadlocks on a seventh case.
Sentencing
Majors is sentenced to 360 years in prison, the maximum penalty for his crimes.
Appeal Denied
The Indiana Supreme Court upholds Majors' conviction and sentence.
Majors Dies
Orville Lynn Majors dies of heart failure while serving his sentence at Indiana State Prison.
Orville Lynn Majors, a licensed practical nurse, was convicted of murdering at least six patients at Vermillion County Hospital in Clinton, Indiana, between 1993 and 1995. The investigation into his actions began after a significant increase in the hospital's death rate coincided with his employment; the annual death toll rose from approximately 26 to over 100 patients. Majors was apprehended in 1997 and subsequently sentenced to 360 years in prison, although he is believed to have caused many more deaths, with estimates ranging from six to as many as 130. He died in custody on September 24, 2017, while serving his sentence. Key evidence included unusual patterns in patient deaths and testimonies from medical staff regarding Majors' behavior and the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
Orville Lynn Majors is believed to have murdered patients whom he found demanding or burdensome, with speculation suggesting that he may have caused many more deaths than those for which he was convicted. Some theories propose that his actions were driven by a desire to alleviate his own workload rather than any personal vendetta against specific individuals. Investigators and the public have also speculated about potential systemic failures in the hospital that allowed his crimes to go undetected for so long.
The Sinister Caregiver: The Case of Orville Lynn Majors
A Chilling Introduction
In the quiet town of Clinton, Indiana, nestled north of Terre Haute, a sinister plot unfolded at the Vermillion County Hospital between 1993 and 1995. Orville Lynn Majors, a licensed practical nurse, would later be convicted of a series of murders, altering the lives of countless families and leaving a dark legacy. Despite being convicted for six murders, suspicions loomed over Majors for potentially causing the deaths of up to 130 patients. These were no ordinary deaths; they were those of individuals whom Majors deemed "demanding" or "whiny," or those whom he felt added excessively to his workload.
The Early Years
Born in Linton, Indiana, on April 24, 1961, Orville Lynn Majors spent his formative years caring for his elderly grandmother. This experience led him down the path of nursing. By 1989, Majors had graduated from Nashville Memorial School of Practical Nursing and soon began working at Vermillion County Hospital in Clinton. A brief stint in Tennessee for a higher-paying job followed, but he returned to the hospital in 1993.
Rising Suspicions
Majors quickly became a beloved figure at the hospital, especially among elderly patients, receiving glowing evaluations. However, beneath the surface of admiration, a horrifying pattern was emerging. When Majors was on duty, the hospital's death rate soared from an average of 26 annual deaths to more than 100, a grim statistic for a 56-bed hospital with a modest four-bed intensive care unit. Patients who were admitted without serious issues suddenly deteriorated or died, often displaying abnormal heart rhythms or succumbing to conditions they hadn't previously had.
Nurses and staff began to notice the troubling correlation between Majors's shifts and the spike in deaths. By 1995, nursing supervisor Dawn Stirek's concerns prompted her to examine time cards, revealing that Majors was on duty for 130 of the 147 deaths during that period. Alarmed by these findings, hospital officials contacted the Indiana State Police, suspending Majors pending investigation. The Indiana State Nursing Board also suspended his license for five years for exceeding his authority by administering emergency drugs and working in an ICU without a doctor.
The Investigation Unfolds
The investigation revealed a chilling statistic: when Majors was on duty, a patient died every 23 hours. In stark contrast, when he wasn't working, the death rate plummeted to one death every 551 hours, or roughly every 23 days. This pattern suggested that patients were 42 times more likely to die under Majors's care.
Majors, meanwhile, vehemently denied any wrongdoing, even as he ran a pet store in his hometown of Linton. He hired a lawyer and appeared on talk shows to proclaim his innocence. Yet, his public appearances only encouraged grieving relatives to come forward, reporting suspicious behavior by Majors before their loved ones died—many had coded or died shortly after receiving injections from him.
State police, assisted by electrophysiologist Eric N. Prystowsky, analyzed heart patterns, suspecting potassium overdose, sudden heart attacks, or large clots in the lungs as possible causes. In September 1995, officials exhumed 15 bodies, all of whom had widening heart patterns and had received injections from Majors. The absence of heart attacks or clots confirmed the grim reality: these patients had been murdered. A search of Majors's home uncovered vials of potassium chloride and epinephrine, traceable back to the hospital.
The Trial
After a two-year investigation, Majors was arrested in December 1997 and charged with seven murders. Prosecutors believed he was responsible for between 100 to 130 deaths but focused on seven cases to avoid overwhelming the jury. During the 1999 trial, 79 witnesses took the stand, some testifying to Majors's disdain for the elderly, with one witness recounting Majors's belief that elderly people "should be gassed."
On October 17, 1999, the jury convicted Majors on six counts of murder, deadlocking on the seventh due to the victim's prolonged death. Judge Ernest Yelton sentenced Majors to six consecutive 60-year terms, ensuring he would die in prison. The judge described Majors's actions as "diabolical acts" and "a parallel of evil at its most wicked."
The Aftermath
In the wake of the scandal, Vermillion County Hospital, renamed West Central Community Hospital, faced wrongful-death suits from the families of 80 patients. Most settled, receiving compensation from a state patients' fund. The hospital itself faced an $80,000 fine for negligence and code violations and temporarily lost accreditation, leading to a brief shutdown. By 2009, Union Hospital from Terre Haute took over, renaming it Union Hospital Clinton.
Despite Majors's appeals to the Indiana Supreme Court, the verdict stood firm in 2002. He served his sentence at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, where he died of heart failure on September 24, 2017, at the age of 56.
Sources
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
Orville Lynn Majors begins working at Vermillion County Hospital, where suspicious patient deaths start to rise.
Suspicion Arises
Nursing supervisor Dawn Stirek discovers Majors was on duty during 130 of 147 patient deaths.
Investigation Intensifies
State police begin exhuming bodies of patients who died under Majors' care, finding evidence of murder.
Majors Arrested
Orville Lynn Majors is arrested and charged with seven murders after a two-year investigation.
Conviction
Majors is convicted of six murders; the jury deadlocks on a seventh case.
Sentencing
Majors is sentenced to 360 years in prison, the maximum penalty for his crimes.
Appeal Denied
The Indiana Supreme Court upholds Majors' conviction and sentence.
Majors Dies
Orville Lynn Majors dies of heart failure while serving his sentence at Indiana State Prison.