In the eyes of his prosecutor, serial killer Donald Harvey lived by the sword and died by the sword.
Harvey, 64, was serving his 30th year of a life sentence when an inmate reportedly assaulted him Tuesday inside his Toledo Correctional Institution cell. He died Thursday at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center.
The Cincinnati-area man was convicted in 1987 of 37 murders while serving as a nursing assistant at southwest Ohio and Kentucky hospitals, earning the nickname “Angel of Death.”
The Ohio Highway Patrol continues to investigate his death, said spokesman Lt. Robert Sellers. He would not comment on the attack or Harvey’s injuries.
Authorities have identified a suspect, but not yet filed charges, Lieutenant Sellers said.
It was clear from Harvey’s multiple life sentences that he would not one day leave prison, said Tom Handy, the retired prosecutor of Harvey’s Kentucky case.
“My reaction is he went by the same method by which he killed scores of other people while they were helplessly lying in bed,” said Mr. Handy, 73, of London, Ky.
Harvey claimed in the 1970s and ’80s that he killed dozens of patients as a means to end their suffering.
In Kentucky, a medical examiner determined 15 deaths during Harvey’s tenure at the hospital could be homicides. Harvey claimed to kill 13 of those patients, but prosecutors found verifiable proof for nine of those claims, Mr. Handy said.
Mr. Handy described Harvey as a cruel man with no sympathy for his victims.
“I don’t want to come off as cold-hearted, but at the same time, I think justice has been rendered,” he said.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters declined an interview request, but in a statement said Harvey caused significant pain for many. His death will likely bring closure to families, Mr. Deters said.
“It may sound harsh, but the reality is that I do not have any compassion for Donald Harvey,” he said.
Harvey has remained in the Ohio prison system since 1987. He transferred to the Toledo institution in November, 2015, when officials decreased his security level. This typically results from an inmate’s good behavior or because he or she is taking part in activities, said Sonrisa Sehlmeyer, a Toledo Correctional spokesman.
Harvey’s disciplinary file showed no citations since 2008, Ms. Sehlmeyer said.
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office is expected to complete an autopsy of Harvey today.
Contact Ryan Dunn at: rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @rdunnblade.
First Published March 31, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
