WOODSTOCK, Ont. -- A former Ontario nurse who murdered eight seniors in her care was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault.
Her crimes, which occurred in three Ontario long-term care facilities and a private home, make her one of Canada's worst serial killers.
Earlier today, Wettlaufer told her sentencing hearing she was truly sorry for murdering and injuring vulnerable patients in her care.
She said she hoped the families of her victims can find peace and healing.
Wettlaufer has admitted to using insulin in all 14 cases that stretched from 2007 to 2016, and has said she believed she was an instrument of God.
"It is a complete betrayal of trust when a caregiver does not prolong life, but terminates it," said the judge who issued Wettlaufer's sentence. "She was the shadow of death that passed over them on the night shift where she supervised."
In addition to Wettlaufer's life sentence for murder, she was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for each of the four attempted murder counts and seven years on each of the aggravated assault counts. All the sentences are to be served concurrently.
Ontario to call public inquiry into Elizabeth Wettlaufer nursing home murders
The case of a nurse who murdered eight seniors in long-term care homes in Ontario will be examined in a public inquiry.
The Ontario government announced Monday it is moving to appoint a commissioner to lead a public inquiry into the circumstances of the deaths.
Elizabeth Wettlaufer, who pleaded guilty last month to eight counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault, was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.
Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Attorney General Yasir Naqvi offered condolences on behalf of the provincial government to Wettlaufer's victims.
The ministers say they want to assure the public that, despite Wettlaufer's crimes, the 78,000 residents of Ontario's publicly funded long-term care homes are safe.
At the same time, they said the inquiry process is meant to answer questions so the government can ensure a similar tragedy does not happen again.
The government is finalizing the details of the inquiry and will make them available to the public once they have been approved by cabinet.
