For 16 years, Charles Cullen served as a nurse in various medical facilities, covertly causing the deaths of patients by administering lethal doses of medication through their intravenous lines. It is believed that Cullen may have killed around 400 individuals, ranking him among the most prolific serial killers in recent history.
Cullen faced a challenging upbringing, having lost his father as an infant and his mother in a car accident during high school. Additionally, two of his siblings passed away shortly after, and he devoted years to caring for his brother, who eventually succumbed to cancer.
Following his departure from high school, Cullen briefly joined the U.S. Navy before pursuing nursing education at the Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing in Montclair, New Jersey, graduating in 1987. Subsequently, he married and became a father of two daughters.
In 1993, Cullen’s wife, Adrienne Taub, filed for divorce, citing fear for her safety due to his alleged dangerous behavior, including tampering with drinks and making unsettling inquiries to a funeral home. Despite her complaints of bizarre and violent incidents, her request for a restraining order was denied by a judge.
After the divorce, Cullen’s life took a downward turn, marked by alcohol abuse, financial struggles, and unsuccessful custody battles for his children. He made multiple suicide attempts, faced mounting financial issues, and grappled with mental health challenges.
Cullen’s criminal activities came to light when he was arrested in 2003 after Somerset Medical Center discovered suspicious patient deaths linked to elevated levels of a heart medication. Following an internal investigation, Cullen was terminated, prompting authorities to launch a probe into his actions.
Upon his arrest, Cullen confessed to numerous murders and accepted a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. He admitted to using various medications to poison his victims and detailed his methods of targeting vulnerable patients in hospitals across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Despite confessing to 22 murders and facing life imprisonment, Cullen hinted at a higher death toll, suggesting he may have killed up to 40 individuals during his nursing career. Investigators suspect the actual number of victims could be significantly higher, potentially reaching up to 400.
Cullen justified his actions as mercy killings aimed at ending suffering and preserving his victims’ dignity. However, his motives have been questioned, with experts emphasizing that such rationalizations are often used by individuals to justify unethical behavior.
Notably, not all of Cullen’s victims were terminally ill, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of his crimes. Family members of those affected expressed disdain for Cullen’s claims of being an “angel of mercy,” emphasizing the devastation caused by his actions.