A Norwegian nurse who murdered numerous elderly patients in his care, earning him the title of one of Norway's most prolific serial killers. He was convicted of 22 murders, but suspected of many more.
Arnfinn Nesset, a former Norwegian nurse and nursing home manager, is infamous for being one of the most prolific serial killers in history, suspected of murdering between 22 and 138 people during his tenure at a nursing home in Orkdal, Norway.
Born on October 25, 1936, in Trøndelag, Norway, Nesset's early life was marked by an absent father and a close relationship with his mother. He grew up in his mother's childhood home, where he would later care for her during his adulthood.
In 1977, Nesset was hired as the head nurse at a large nursing home in Orkdal, where he would later carry out his heinous crimes. During the summer and autumn of 1981, a series of suspicious deaths caught the attention of the authorities, leading to Nesset's eventual arrest and conviction.
Nesset initially confessed to murdering 27 patients by injecting them with suxamethonium chloride, a muscle-paralyzing drug. However, he later retracted his confession and denied all charges during his five-month trial. In March 1983, he was convicted of poisoning 22 patients, as well as one count of attempted murder, and acquitted on two other counts.
Nesset was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum term available under Norwegian law at the time, followed by 10 years of preventative detention. However, he was released after serving 12 years for good behavior and went on to live under an assumed name, reportedly in an undisclosed location.
Olaf Jakhelln, the chief prosecutor at Nesset's trial, described him as an ambitious man who wanted complete control over the lives of his patients. Nesset's exact motives and the true extent of his crimes may never be fully known, leaving behind a dark and mysterious legacy.
Arnfinn Nesset's heinous crimes and mysterious motivations have captivated and horrified people around the world. His case serves as a dark reminder of the importance of vigilance and accountability in the healthcare industry, and the devastating consequences of unchecked ambition and desire for control.
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