Respiratory Therapist Accused Of Murdering Patient In 2002 After 9 People Died Within Months

Police have launched a manhunt for a Missouri woman who is wanted in connection to a nearly 20-year-old murder, authorities said.

Livingston County Sheriff’s Office investigators believe Jennifer Hall, 41, may be responsible for at least one patient’s death at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe, where she worked as a respiratory therapist, KSHB reported, citing probable cause documents.

Hall began working at the facility in December 2001 but was placed on administrative leave around six months later, in May 2002.

According to the documents, Hall was under investigation after there were 18 cardiac collapse incidents during her employment at HMC instead of the one code blue event experienced on average in a similar time frame.

In each instance, the documents alleged, Hall was the closest person to the 18 patients who suffered cardiac collapse. Nine died.

Hall is now accused of murdering Fern Franco, who was suffering from pneumonia at the time she died on May 18, 2002.

Hall and a second employee discovered Franco in distress and Hall unsuccessfully attempted to revive the patient with the drugs atropine and epinephrine, according to the documents.

Three days later, Hall was placed on leave from her position, and hospital staff noted the number of code blue incidents returned to the average.

Experts recently determined Franco's death was a homicide by succinylcholine poisoning, which would have caused muscle paralysis and led to the patient suffocating while still conscious, KSHB reported.

Authorities have not revealed what led to them only recently issuing a warrant for Hall’s arrest for first-degree murder.

According to officials, Hall may be going by the last name Semaboye.

Anyone with information about the suspect's whereabouts is asked to call the Livingston County Sheriff's Office at (660) 646-0515.