Offender Record · OFF-2026-052
Charles Cullen (photo from the Radford University biography)
Charles Edmund Cullen
Sex
Male
Race
White
Height
5'7"
Born
1960
Custody
Incarcerated
Custody
Incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison
Custody record at the facility
Sentenced March 2, 2006 to 11 consecutive life sentences in New Jersey (22 murders, 3 attempted murders); sentenced March 10, 2006 in Pennsylvania to 7 additional life sentences (7 murders, 3 attempted murders); not eligible for parole until June 10, 2403.
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Charles Edmund Cullen is a serial killer convicted of murdering 22 patients in New Jersey and 7 patients in Pennsylvania between 1988 and 2003 while working as a registered nurse at multiple hospitals. He pleaded guilty to 29 counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced in March 2006 to 11 consecutive life sentences in New Jersey and received 7 additional consecutive life sentences in Pennsylvania. Cullen is currently incarcerated at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton without possibility of parole.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Jun 11, 1988, Livingston, New Jersey
Murder
St. Barnabas Medical Center · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence (part of 11 consecutive terms in New Jersey)
John W. Yengo Sr., age 72, was admitted to St. Barnabas Medical Center with an allergic reaction to blood-thinning medication. Cullen administered a lethal intravenous overdose of lidocaine. This was Cullen's first confirmed murder.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles; Charles Cullen
Offense date Mar 09, 1993, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Murder
Warren Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence (part of multiple New Jersey and Pennsylvania terms)
A 90-year-old patient at Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg, New Jersey was given a lethal overdose of digoxin, a heart stimulant used as cardiac medication.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles; Netflix debuts film about New Jersey's deadliest serial killer Charles Cullen
Offense date Jul 23, 1993, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Murder
Warren Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
An 85-year-old patient was given a lethal overdose of digoxin at Warren Hospital.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles; Netflix debuts film about New Jersey's deadliest serial killer Charles Cullen
Offense date Sep 01, 1993, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Murder
Warren Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 91-year-old patient at Warren Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles; Netflix debuts film about New Jersey's deadliest serial killer Charles Cullen
Offense date Jan 21, 1996, Flemington, New Jersey
Murder
Hunterdon Medical Center · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 71-year-old male patient at Hunterdon Medical Center was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date May 31, 1996, Flemington, New Jersey
Murder
Hunterdon Medical Center · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 75-year-old male patient at Hunterdon Medical Center was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Jun 09, 1996, Flemington, New Jersey
Murder
Hunterdon Medical Center · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 49-year-old female patient at Hunterdon Medical Center was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Jul 10, 1996, Flemington, New Jersey
Murder
Hunterdon Medical Center · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
An 81-year-old male patient at Hunterdon Medical Center was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Dec 31, 1998, Easton, Pennsylvania
Murder
Easton Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 78-year-old male patient at Easton Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Aug 31, 1999, Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania
Murder
Lehigh Valley Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 22-year-old male patient at Lehigh Valley Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin. This was one of Cullen's youngest victims.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Feb 21, 2000, Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania
Attempted Murder
Lehigh Valley Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence as part of multiple Pennsylvania terms
A 40-year-old female patient at Lehigh Valley Hospital survived an attempted overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Jun 22, 2001, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Murder
St. Luke's Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 79-year-old female patient at St. Luke's Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Nov 08, 2001, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Murder
St. Luke's Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 72-year-old male patient at St. Luke's Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Jan 09, 2002, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Murder
St. Luke's Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
An 80-year-old male patient at St. Luke's Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date May 05, 2002, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Murder
St. Luke's Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
An 82-year-old male patient at St. Luke's Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Jun 02, 2002, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Murder
St. Luke's Hospital · Unknown · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence
A 76-year-old male patient at St. Luke's Hospital was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Offense date Feb 12, 2003, Somerset, New Jersey
Murder
Somerset Medical Center · Somerset County Superior Court · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Consecutive life sentence (part of 11 consecutive terms in New Jersey)
A 60-year-old female patient at Somerset Medical Center was given a lethal overdose of digoxin.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
29
Victims convicted
40
Victims confessed
400
Victims suspected
Active years
1988–2003
Victim profile
Elderly, Patients in care
Stated motive
Power or control
Range from home
interstate
Confessed
Yes
Cooperated with investigators
Yes
Education
associate
Marital history
Married, Divorced
Children
3
Military discharge
general
Photographs by Year
Charles Cullen (photo from the Radford University biography)
Charles Cullen (photo from the Radford University biography)
Timeline
Jun 11, 1988
Murder (St. Barnabas Medical Center)
Mar 09, 1993
Murder (Warren Hospital)
Jul 23, 1993
Murder (Warren Hospital)
Sep 01, 1993
Murder (Warren Hospital)
Jan 21, 1996
Murder (Hunterdon Medical Center)
May 31, 1996
Murder (Hunterdon Medical Center)
Jun 09, 1996
Murder (Hunterdon Medical Center)
Jun 24, 1996
Murder (Hunterdon Medical Center)
Jul 10, 1996
Murder (Hunterdon Medical Center)
Dec 31, 1998
Murder (Easton Hospital)
Aug 31, 1999
Murder (Lehigh Valley Hospital)
Feb 21, 2000
Attempted Murder (Lehigh Valley Hospital)
Jun 22, 2001
Murder (St. Luke's Hospital)
Nov 08, 2001
Murder (St. Luke's Hospital)
Jan 09, 2002
Murder (St. Luke's Hospital)
May 05, 2002
Murder (St. Luke's Hospital)
Jun 02, 2002
Murder (St. Luke's Hospital)
Feb 12, 2003
Murder (Somerset Medical Center)
Feb 23, 2003
Murder (Somerset Medical Center)
Feb 23, 2003
Murder (Somerset Medical Center)
Apr 29, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Apr 29, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Apr 29, 2004
Convicted: Murder
May 19, 2004
Convicted: Murder
May 19, 2004
Convicted: Murder
May 19, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Oct 07, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Attempted Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Nov 17, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Dec 16, 2004
Convicted: Murder
Jun 27, 2005
Convicted: Murder
Jun 27, 2005
Convicted: Murder
Jun 27, 2005
Convicted: Murder
Jun 27, 2005
Convicted: Murder
Jun 27, 2005
Convicted: Murder
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
Other · Murderpedia ·
Charles Cullen“Cullen murdered as many as 45 patients during the 16 years he worked at 10 hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”
Other · Wikipedia ·
Charles Cullen“Born February 22, 1960 in West Orange, New Jersey; 22 convictions for murder in New Jersey, 7 in Pennsylvania; 18 consecutive life sentences with parole eligibility June 10, 2403.”
News report · A&E Television Networks ·
Case File: Charles Cullen“Pleaded guilty to the murders of 29 patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania; sentenced to 18 consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.”
News report · A&E Television Networks ·
Murder Gave Killer Nurse Charles Cullen 'a Sense of Power'“Cullen pled guilty to charges in multiple counties across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, totaling 29 counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.”
Other · Violent Minds ·
Charles Cullen: The 'Angel of Death'“Charles Cullen is currently incarcerated in protective custody at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, serving 18 consecutive life sentences (11 in New Jersey, 7 in Pennsylvania).”
News report · StyleCaster ·
Where Is Charles Cullen Now? Is He Still in Jail For 'Good Nurse' Murders?“On March 2, 2006, Judge Armstrong sentenced Cullen to 11 consecutive life sentences. He is not eligible for parole until June 10, 2388.”
News report · Salon ·
From 'Capturing the Killer Nurse' to 'The Good Nurse,' here's the true story of Charles Cullen“In March 1993, Cullen was arrested on felony charges for stalking his co-worker Michelle Tomlinson after he broke into her home in Pennsylvania.”
News report · Philadelphia Inquirer ·
Netflix debuts film about New Jersey's deadliest serial killer Charles Cullen“In total, Cullen confessed to and was convicted of killing 22 victims in New Jersey.”
News report · NBC New York ·
Where Is Charles Cullen Now? The Good Nurse: True Story Makes Netflix Debut“Cullen ultimately pleaded guilty in 2005 to 29 counts of murder committed between 1988 and 2003 in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as six attempted murders.”
News report · Yahoo News ·
Where is the real Charles Cullen from Netflix's The Good Nurse now?“On 12th December 2003, Cullen was arrested at a restaurant and charged with one count of murder and one attempted murder.”
Other · Radford University, Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Cullen, Charles“Cullen pleads guilty to murder of 13 patients and the attempted murder of 2 patients at Somerset Medical Center.”
News report · NJ 101.5 ·
This day in history: NJ's most prolific serial killer sentenced to 11 life terms“Charles Cullen was sentenced on March 2, 2006 to eleven life terms totaling 397 years for 22 murders.”
News report · CBS News ·
Nurse Pleads Guilty To 13 Killings“Former nurse Charles Cullen pleaded guilty Thursday to murdering 13 patients and attempting to kill two others at hospitals in two states as part of a deal with prosecutors to spare his own life.”
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