Ep 16. Notorious - Charles Cullen

Notorious - Charles Cullen

In episode 16 of season 23 of Snapped, viewers are taken on a journey through the dark and twisted mind of Charles Cullen, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.

Cullen was a registered nurse and worked in various hospitals across New Jersey and Pennsylvania for almost 16 years, during which time he killed an estimated 400 patients. His victims ranged from the elderly to infants, and he used various methods to kill them, including administering overdoses of powerful drugs like digoxin and insulin.

The episode explores Cullen's troubled childhood, including his parents' divorce and his mother's battle with mental illness, which left him feeling alone and abandoned. As an adult, he struggled with addiction and depression and had a history of suicide attempts. Despite his issues, he managed to secure employment as a nurse, where he initially seemed to excel at his job, earning the trust of colleagues and patients alike.

As the episode progresses, viewers are taken through several of Cullen's murders and the events that led to his eventual capture. One particularly shocking case involved a father who became suspicious after his son, who had been recovering from surgery, suddenly began to deteriorate. The father noticed that Cullen had been spending excessive amounts of time with his son and decided to secretly record his conversations with the nurse. The recordings revealed that Cullen had been administering lethal doses of medication to the boy, leading to his death.

Despite several red flags over the years, including multiple firings from hospitals and concerns from coworkers about suspicious patient deaths, Cullen managed to evade detection for years. It wasn't until he was caught stealing medication from a hospital that authorities began to investigate his past actions.

With the help of witness testimony and forensic evidence, investigators were able to piece together the extent of Cullen's crimes, which spanned multiple states. He eventually pleaded guilty to 22 counts of murder and is currently serving a life sentence in prison.

Throughout the episode, viewers are given a glimpse into the mind of a man who used his position of power as a nurse to carry out a horrific series of murders. We hear from family members of some of his victims, as well as experts in criminal psychology who attempt to shed light on what drove Cullen to commit such heinous acts.

Overall, episode 16 of season 23 of Snapped is a chilling look at the life and crimes of Charles Cullen, a man who will go down in history as one of America's most infamous serial killers.