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Kimberly Saenz, a former licensed vocational nurse, was sentenced to life without parole for killing five dialysis patients and attempting to harm others at a dialysis clinic in Lufkin, Texas, in April 2008. Saenz was found guilty of injecting bleach into patients' dialysis, resulting in both fatal and non-fatal results.
Her crimes were uncovered through eyewitness testimonies and forensic evidence. Despite appeals, she was convicted and is currently serving her sentence at the Patrick O'Daniel Unit, previously known as the Mountain View Unit, in Gatesville, Texas.
Saenz's case will be explored in detail in the third episode of Snapped season 35, titled Kimberly Saenz. The episode is set to air on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 6:00 PM on Oxygen. The official synopsis of the episode reads:
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"Numerous patients at a Texas dialysis treatment centre have gone into cardiac arrest, resulting in five deaths in one month. Investigators work with the Centers for Disease Control to expose a chilling connection between the unexplained tragedies."
The crimes and investigation
According to the Fourth Court of Appeals, Kimberly Saenz committed her crimes over a period of two to three weeks in April 2008 at a DaVita dialysis clinic in Lufkin, Texas. During this time, five patients—Clara Strange, Thelma Metcalf, Garlin Kelley, Cora Bryant, and Opal Few—died suspiciously, while many others suffered severe medical incidents.
These incidents alerted the attention of the clinic and eventually led to investigations by the CDC and local law enforcement officials. Eyewitnesses, including patients Linda Hall and Lurlene Hamilton, testified to seeing Saenz inject bleach into patients' dialysis lines. Forensic evidence supported their accounts, as the dialysis lines and syringes tested positive for bleach.
The CDC's analysis further revealed abnormally high levels of 3-chlorotyrosine in the blood samples of affected patients, indicating exposure to bleach.
Court records detailed that Saenz preyed on patients during their weakest moments. For instance, Clara Strange and Thelma Metcalf experienced cardiac arrests shortly after dialysis. Saenz changed their treatment without a cause, as witnessed by colleagues.
According to the Fourth Court of Appeals, the same thing happened to Garlin Kelley, Cora Bryant, and Opal Few. These patients displayed symptoms of bleach poisoning, including sudden cardiac distress and massive organ damage.
Trial and conviction of Kimberly Saenz
According to the Fourth Court of Appeals, Saenz's 2012 trial became a landmark case in exposing medical abuse within the healthcare system. She was charged with one count of capital murder in connection with the deaths of Clara Strange, Thelma Metcalf, Garlin Kelley, Cora Bryant, and Opal Few, along with aggravated assault charges for injuries inflicted on other patients.
The prosecution relied heavily on eyewitness testimonies and forensic findings. Hall and Hamilton recounted witnessing Saenz use syringes filled with bleach. The CDC’s toxicological reports indicated that the victims' deaths were consistent with bleach exposure. Additionally, analysis of preserved dialysis equipment revealed traces of bleach.
According to the Fourth Court of Appeals, the defense attempted to argue that the victims’ chronic illnesses were the cause of death, independent of Saenz’s actions. However, the jury convicted her on one count of capital murder and three counts of aggravated assault.
Saenz received a life sentence without parole on the capital murder charge and an additional 20 years on each assault charge.
Kimberly Saenz's life after conviction
Today, Kimberly Saenz is serving her life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Patrick O'Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas. All her appeals have been denied, as they were based on procedural errors made during the trial and the evidence presented.
She has also been featured in true-crime media, such as an episode of Snapped, which revisited her case and motives. According to the Fourth Court of Appeals, the deaths of Clara Strange, Thelma Metcalf, Garlin Kelley, Cora Bryant, and Opal Few, along with the sufferings of other patients, led to increased scrutiny over healthcare protocols.
Interested viewers can stream the third episode of Snapped season 35 to learn more about Kimberly Saenz's case.
