Murder of James Silcox and Others by Elizabeth Wettlaufer
Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a registered nurse in southwestern Ontario, confessed to murdering eight elderly patients and attempting to murder six others by insulin injection between 2007 and 2016. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Elizabeth Tracy Mae "Bethe" Wettlaufer (née Parker, born June 10, 1967) is a former registered nurse convicted of murdering eight elderly patients and attempting to murder or assaulting six others in long-term care facilities and private homes in southwestern Ontario, Canada, between 2007 and 2016. She is described as one of the deadliest serial killers in Canadian history.
Background
Wettlaufer was raised in Zorra Township near Woodstock, Ontario, in a Baptist household. She earned a degree in religious education counseling before studying nursing at Conestoga College. In 2007, she was hired at Caressant Care, a long-term care home in Woodstock, where she was initially seen as caring and professional. During her employment she struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism, was suspended multiple times for medication-related errors, and was ultimately fired in March 2014 following a serious medication error.
Crimes
Beginning between June and December 2007, Wettlaufer began injecting patients under her care with insulin. Her first fatal injection occurred on August 11, 2007, killing James Silcox, an 84-year-old World War II veteran. Between 2007 and 2014, she also killed Maurice "Moe" Granat, Gladys Millard, Helen Matheson, Mary Zurawinski, Helen Young, and Maureen Pickering, all patients at Caressant Care. She additionally confessed to two counts of aggravated assault involving sisters Clotilde Adriano and Albina Demedeiros, whose subsequent deaths were not attributed to her, and to attempted murder involving patients Michael Priddle and Wayne Hedges. After leaving Caressant Care, Wettlaufer continued working at other facilities and private homes, where she killed Arpad Horvath at a London, Ontario facility and injected Sandra Towler and Beverly Bertram with intent to murder.
Confession and Legal Proceedings
Wettlaufer entered inpatient drug rehabilitation at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto on September 16, 2016, where she confessed to staff. This led to notification of the College of Nurses of Ontario and Toronto Police. She resigned her nursing registration and provided a lengthy police confession. She was charged with eight counts of murder on October 25, 2016, and with four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault on January 13, 2017. She waived a preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty to all charges on June 1, 2017. On June 26, 2017, she was sentenced to eight concurrent life sentences with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
In her confession, Wettlaufer described experiencing uncontrollable "surges" that compelled her actions, stating she knew right from wrong but felt driven by forces she attributed to "God or the devil." She said she had previously disclosed the killings to a lawyer, friends, a former partner, and her pastor, none of whom reported her to authorities.
Institutional Response
Following her sentencing, the Ontario government announced a public inquiry, formally established August 1, 2017, and led by Justice Eileen Gillese. The inquiry examined the circumstances of the deaths and gaps in long-term care oversight, producing recommendations on staff training, screening, and reporting processes. Separately, the College of Nurses of Ontario revoked her nursing registration indefinitely following a disciplinary hearing in 2017.
James Silcox, Gladys Millard, Clotilde Adriano, Sandra Towler, Arpad Horvath, Helen Matheson, Michael Priddle, Maureen Pickering, Beverly Bertram, Helen Young, Albina Demedeiros, Mary Zurawinski, Wayne Hedges, Maurice Granat
Date
2007
Location
Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2007
Wettlaufer is hired as a registered nurse at Caressant Care in Woodstock, Ontario.
2007-08-11
Wettlaufer fatally injects patient James Silcox with insulin, her first killing.
2011
Wettlaufer kills patients Gladys Millard, Helen Matheson, and Mary Zurawinski at Caressant Care.
2013
Wettlaufer kills patient Helen Young at Caressant Care.
2014-03
Wettlaufer is fired from Caressant Care after a serious medication-related incident; she also kills patient Maureen Pickering around this time.
2016-09-16
Wettlaufer enters inpatient drug rehabilitation at CAMH in Toronto and confesses to staff about the killings.
2016-10-25
Wettlaufer is formally charged with eight counts of murder.
2017-01-13
Wettlaufer is charged with four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
2017-06-01
Wettlaufer pleads guilty to all charges in court.
2017-06-26
Wettlaufer is sentenced to eight concurrent life terms with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
2017-07-25
College of Nurses of Ontario convenes a disciplinary panel charging Wettlaufer with professional misconduct.
2017-08-01
The Public Inquiry into the Safety and Security of Residents in the Long-Term Care Homes System is formally established, led by Justice Eileen Gillese.
2018-03
Wettlaufer is transferred from Grand Valley Institution for Women to a secure facility in Montreal for medical treatment.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
That Chapter / 20 min
The Chilling Case of Elizabeth Wettlaufer
People
James Silcox
VICTIM
84-year-old World War II veteran and patient at Caressant Care; killed by insulin injection on August 11, 2007.
Gladys Millard
VICTIM
87-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2011.
Clotilde Adriano
VICTIM
87-year-old patient injected with insulin by Wettlaufer in an aggravated assault; her later death was not attributed to Wettlaufer.
Sandra Towler
VICTIM
77-year-old resident injected by Wettlaufer with intent to murder at a retirement home in Paris, Ontario.
Arpad Horvath
VICTIM
75-year-old patient killed by Wettlaufer at Meadow Park facility in London, Ontario.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer
CONVICTED
Pleaded guilty to eight counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and two counts of aggravated assault; sentenced to eight concurrent life terms with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Helen Matheson
VICTIM
95-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2011.
Michael Priddle
VICTIM
63-year-old patient injected by Wettlaufer with intent to murder at Caressant Care.
Maureen Pickering
VICTIM
79-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2014.
Beverly Bertram
VICTIM
68-year-old individual injected by Wettlaufer with intent to murder at a private residence in Ingersoll, Ontario.
Helen Young
VICTIM
90-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2013.
Albina Demedeiros
VICTIM
88-year-old patient injected with insulin by Wettlaufer in an aggravated assault; her later death was not attributed to Wettlaufer.
Mary Zurawinski
VICTIM
96-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2011.
Eileen Gillese
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario appointed commissioner of the public inquiry into the case.
Wayne Hedges
VICTIM
57-year-old patient injected by Wettlaufer with intent to murder at Caressant Care.
Maurice Granat
VICTIM
84-year-old patient at Caressant Care killed by Wettlaufer in 2007.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a registered nurse in southwestern Ontario, confessed to murdering eight elderly patients and attempting to murder six others by insulin injection between 2007 and 2016. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Where did the murder happen?
Woodstock, Ontario, Canada.
Who was convicted?
Elizabeth Wettlaufer (Pleaded guilty to eight counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and two counts of aggravated assault; sentenced to eight concurrent life terms with no parole eligibility for 25 years.).
When a file you follow changes — a new development, a correction, fresh coverage — the Dispatch is how you hear about it.
The Casepin Dispatch
A calm weekly briefing from the archive — one case worth understanding, meaningful updates to files you follow, and the best new coverage. You’ll also get the one-time note when the apps land. No gore, no rumor, no drip.
