Offender Record · OFF-2026-090
Donald Harvey (photo from the Radford University biography)
Donald Harvey
Also known as Angel of Death
Sex
Male
Race
White
Born
1952
Custody
Deceased
States
US, OH, KY
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Summary of the record
Donald Harvey pleaded guilty to murdering 37 people, 24 counts at Drake Memorial Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio between 1986 and 1987, and 13 patients at Marymount Hospital in London, Kentucky in 1970 and 1971, using primarily cyanide and arsenic poisoning. He claimed to have killed as many as 87 people total. Harvey died March 30, 2017, at age 64, from blunt-force trauma injuries sustained during a prison assault at Toledo Correctional Institution in Ohio where he was serving 28 consecutive life sentences without 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.
Murder (8 counts), voluntary manslaughter (1 count)
Laurel County Sheriff / Laurel County Circuit Court, Kentucky · Laurel County Circuit Court, Kentucky · Kentucky Revised Statutes § 507.020 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment plus 20 years, to run concurrently with Ohio sentences
Harvey worked as orderly at Marymount Hospital in London, Kentucky from May 1970 to March 1971. He killed 13 patients, mostly elderly, using smothering (pillows and plastic bags), poisoning (arsenic, cyanide, overdoses of medical drugs), and oxygen deprivation. Most victims were terminally ill or near death.
SourcesThe Marymount Hospital Serial Killer; Nurse's Aide Donald Harvey Was a Serial Killer; Donald Harvey
Aggravated murder (3 counts), attempted aggravated murder (3 counts)
Hamilton County · Hamilton County Court, Ohio · Ohio Revised Code § 2903.01 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Three additional life sentences plus three terms of 7.5 to 25 years
Harvey killed neighbors and acquaintances outside hospital setting: Helen Metzger (63) died April 10, 1983 from arsenic in pie; Henry Hoeweler (82) died May 1, 1983 from arsenic; James Peluso (65) died November 10, 1984 from arsenic. Three additional victims were attempted murders by arsenic and hepatitis injection.
SourcesSerial killer indicted for more hospital deaths; Donald Harvey
Aggravated murder (24 counts), attempted aggravated murder (4 counts), felonious assault (1 count)
Cincinnati Police / Hamilton County · Hamilton County Court, Ohio · Ohio Revised Code § 2903.01 · Arrested Apr 06, 1987 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Three consecutive life sentences without parole; later amended to 28 consecutive life sentences plus $270,000 fines
Harvey, working as orderly/nurse's aide at Drake Memorial Hospital, poisoned 21 patients with cyanide, arsenic, and rat poison between April 1986 and March 1987. Some victims were smothered or had oxygen supplies turned off. Deaths were initially ruled accidental until cyanide was detected in an autopsy.
SourcesFormer hospital orderly Donald Harvey pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated murder of 24 people; Nurse's Aide Donald Harvey Was a Serial Killer; Donald Harvey
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.
37
Victims convicted
50
Victims confessed
87
Victims suspected
Active years
1970–1987
Victim profile
Elderly, Patients in care, Acquaintances, Partners or spouses
Stated motive
Power or control, Concealing another crime
Range from home
regional
Confessed
Yes
Cooperated with investigators
Yes
Education
high school
Marital history
Never married
Children
2
Military discharge
medical
Died
2017-03-30 · homicide
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
KY
Booneville, Kentucky
1952 – 1970 · Raised by parents after family relocated from Ohio shortly after birth
London, Kentucky
May 11, 1970 – Mar 27, 1971 · Marymount Hospital, orderly
London, Kentucky
Mar 31, 1971 – Apr 1971 · Arrested for burglary and arson, charged with petty theft, paid $50 fine
Lexington, Kentucky
approx. 1972 – 1975 · Cardinal Hill Convalescent Hospital, nursing assistant; five months full-time, two years part-time
Lexington, Kentucky
Jul 16, 1972 – Aug 25, 1972 · Veterans Administration Medical Center, inpatient psychiatric
Lexington, Kentucky
Sep 17, 1972 – Oct 17, 1972 · Veterans Administration Medical Center, inpatient psychiatric
OH
Cincinnati, Ohio
approx. Sep 1975 – Jul 1985 · Veterans Administration Medical Center, nursing assistant; approximately 10 years
Cincinnati, Ohio
Feb 24, 1986 – Apr 06, 1987 · Daniel Drake Memorial Hospital, nurse's aide/orderly
Toledo, Ohio
1987 – Mar 30, 2017 · Toledo Correctional Institution, serving 28 consecutive life sentences without parole
Cincinnati, Ohio
Apr 06, 1987 – present · Charged with aggravated murder, held under $200,000 bond
US
United States
Jun 16, 1971 – Mar 09, 1972 · U.S. Air Force, discharge for medical reasons under honorable conditions · air force
Timeline
Apr 15, 1952
Donald Harvey born in Hamilton, Ohio; family relocated to Booneville, Kentucky shortly after.
May 11, 1970
Harvey began work as orderly at Marymount Hospital in London, Kentucky at age 18.
May 30, 1970
First confirmed murder: Harvey smothered 88-year-old patient Logan Evans with blue plastic sheet and pillow.
Mar 27, 1971
Harvey's last day at Marymount Hospital; left position after committing approximately 13 murders over 10-month period.
Mar 31, 1971
Harvey arrested for burglary in his apartment building in London, Kentucky; confessed to police about 15 murders at Marymount but was not believed.
Apr 1971
Harvey pleaded guilty to petty theft (reduced charge from burglary), paid $50 fine.
Jun 16, 1971
Harvey enlisted in U.S. Air Force at age 19.
Jul 1971
Harvey attempted suicide with overdose of NyQuil while in Air Force.
1972
Harvey began working at Cardinal Hill Convalescent Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky; reported to have killed no one during this employment.
Mar 09, 1972
Harvey discharged from Air Force with medical discharge (honorable conditions) after nine months of service due to suicide attempts.
Jul 1972
Harvey voluntarily admitted to Veterans Administration Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky for psychiatric care.
Oct 17, 1972
Harvey released from psychiatric hospitalization.
1975
Harvey began suspected kills at VA Hospital Cincinnati; believed to be responsible for multiple deaths including Joseph Harris, James Twitty, James Ritter, Harry Rhodes, and Sterling Moore.
Sep 1975
Harvey obtained job at Veterans Administration Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio as nursing assistant.
1980
Harvey poisoned his lover Doug Hill with arsenic; relationship with Carl Hoeweler began, during which Harvey periodically poisoned Hoeweler with arsenic.
Apr 10, 1983
Helen Metzger (neighbor) died from arsenic poisoning placed in pie and mayonnaise by Harvey.
May 01, 1983
Henry Hoeweler (father of Harvey's roommate), 82, died from arsenic poisoning.
Nov 09, 1984
James Peluso, Harvey's ex-boyfriend, 65, died from arsenic poisoning in daiquiri and pudding.
Mar 1985
Edward Wilson (neighbor) died five days after Harvey put arsenic in his Pepto-Bismol.
Jul 1985
Harvey fired from VA Hospital after gun and mounted liver specimen found in his gym bag and locker; not arrested.
Feb 24, 1986
Harvey hired at Daniel Drake Memorial Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio as nurse's aide/orderly.
1987
Total convictions reach 37 murders: 28 counts in Ohio (24 aggravated murder, 4 attempted aggravated murder) plus 8 counts murder and 1 voluntary manslaughter in Kentucky, with additional guilty pleas in February 1988.
Mar 07, 1987
John Powell's autopsy reveals cyanide in his body; Harvey had poisoned him earlier that month.
Apr 06, 1987
Cincinnati Police charge Donald Harvey with aggravated murder of John Powell; Harvey arrested and held under $200,000 bond.
Aug 18, 1987
Harvey pleads guilty to 24 counts of aggravated murder, 4 counts of attempted aggravated murder, and 1 count of felonious assault in Hamilton County Court, Ohio.
Aug 22, 1987
Harvey pleads guilty to 1 additional murder charge.
Sep 1987
Harvey sentenced in Cincinnati court; receives consecutive life sentences (totaling 28 consecutive life sentences plus $270,000 in fines across all proceedings).
Sep 07, 1987
Harvey confesses to 12 additional murders committed at Marymount Hospital in Kentucky.
Nov 02, 1987
Harvey pleads guilty in Laurel County Circuit Court to 8 counts of murder and 1 count of voluntary manslaughter for killings at Marymount Hospital.
Feb 1988
Harvey pleads guilty to 3 additional counts of aggravated murder and 3 counts of attempted aggravated murder in Hamilton County Court.
Mar 28, 2017
Harvey found severely beaten in his cell at Toledo Correctional Institution by fellow inmate.
Mar 30, 2017
Donald Harvey dies at age 64 from blunt-force trauma injuries sustained in prison attack.
May 03, 2019
Fellow inmate James Elliott charged with aggravated murder of Donald Harvey.
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.
News report · WVXU ·
Drake Center closing, but the story of serial killer Donald Harvey will live on“Harvey was a serial killer; he claimed the name of 'the Angel of Death' after ultimately being convicted of murdering 37 mostly elderly patients at hospitals in Kentucky and Ohio—at least 21 of them at Drake Hospital.”
Other · Murderpedia ·
Donald Harvey“On August 18, 1987, Harvey entered the courtroom and pled guilty to 24 counts of aggravated murder, four counts of attempted murder, and one count of felonious assault. In Kentucky, he pled guilty to eight counts of murder and one count of manslaughter.”
Other · Wikipedia ·
Donald Harvey“Born April 15, 1952, Hamilton, Ohio. Died March 30, 2017, Toledo, Ohio. Convictions: Ohio Aggravated murder (28 counts) Attempted aggravated murder (7 counts) Felonious assault Kentucky Murder (8 counts) Manslaughter. 28 consecutive life sentences without parole plus $270,000 fines.”
News report · KY History ·
The Marymount Hospital Serial Killer“In early November of 1987, Donald Harvey pleaded guilty in Laurel County Circuit Court to killing nine patients while working as an orderly at Marymount Hospital in 1970 and 1971. In total, Donald Harvey was charged with eight counts of murder and one count of voluntary manslaughter.”
News report · A&E ·
Nurse's Aide Donald Harvey Was a Serial Killer“As part of a plea agreement, Harvey pleaded guilty to killing 21 patients at Drake Memorial between 1986 and 1987, and 13 patients at Marymount Hospital in London, Ky., in 1970 and 1971.”
News report · WCPO ·
Inmate charged in Cincinnati 'Angel of Death' Donald Harvey's fatal prison beating“An inmate serving time for a series of burglaries was charged Friday in the fatal 2017 prison beating of a serial killer who was dubbed the 'Angel of Death' after he admitted killing three dozen hospital patients in Ohio and Kentucky.”
News report · CBS News ·
Donald Harvey, 'Angel of Death' serial killer, dead at 64“A serial killer known as the 'Angel of Death' after he admitted killing three dozen hospital patients in Ohio and Kentucky died Thursday, two days after investigators said he was attacked in prison.”
News report · Cincinnati Magazine ·
The Angel of Death Asks for Mercy“On April 6, 1987, Cincinnati Police charged Donald Harvey, a 35-year-old orderly at Daniel Drake Memorial Hospital, with the murder of John Powell.”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Harvey, Donald“Born in Booneville, Kentucky April 15, 1952, first of three children. Started work at Marymount Hospital May 11, 1970. First kill May 30, 1970 - smothered Logan Evans (88) with plastic sheet and pillow.”
News report · UPI Archives ·
Serial killer indicted for more hospital deaths“Former hospital orderly Donald Harvey, who pleaded guilty last year to murdering 34 people, was indicted Friday on charges of killing three more patients and trying to kill three others.”
News report · UPI Archives ·
Former hospital orderly Donald Harvey pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated murder of 24 people“Donald Harvey pleaded guilty Tuesday to the aggravated murder of 24 people, the attempted aggravated murder of four people and the felonious assault of one person.”
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