Who Took Misty Copsey?
Your Next Listen - Mind of a Monster: The Killer Nurse (September 24, 2025)
Host: Dr. Michelle Ward
Topic: The early life and crimes of Kristen Gilbert, a rare female healthcare serial killer
Episode Overview
This episode launches a deep investigation into Kristen Gilbert, known as "The Killer Nurse," who murdered at least four patients and attempted to kill more during her tenure at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northampton, Massachusetts. Dr. Michelle Ward, a criminal psychologist, sets the stage to understand what could drive a seemingly normal, accomplished young woman—and mother—to become a serial killer in a profession trusted to heal. The episode examines Gilbert’s childhood, early warning signs, disturbing patterns, and pivotal moments leading up to her crimes.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Kristen Gilbert: An Unlikely Serial Killer
-
Introduction to the Case [(00:00–02:04):]
- Dr. Michelle Ward introduces the case of Kristen Gilbert, noting the ultimate betrayal of trust when a nurse—entrusted to care for the vulnerable—becomes a killer. Gilbert is framed as unique among serial killers due to her gender and occupation.
"She's a health care serial killer. So we're entering a whole new world where the difference between life saving medicine and deadly poison is just in the dosage." – Dr. Michelle Ward [01:54]
2. Idyllic Beginnings
-
Childhood & Family Context [(02:16–05:06):]
- Gilbert (born Kristin Heather Strickland) grew up in a stable, middle-class military family with strong traditions of military service.
- She was an only child for the first seven years and enjoyed a close, possibly maternal, relationship with her grandmother.
"She was the center of attention... she really liked being the center of attention. She did not like sharing that." – Dr. Katherine Ramsland [03:10]
3. Childhood Disruption and Emerging Resentment
-
The Disruptive Move [(05:06–06:31):]
- At age 12, Gilbert’s family relocates, causing her to lose close ties to her grandparents and social network; this is described as a pivotal, destabilizing event.
"So uprooting her at the age of 12, you know, really affected her. I think she resented it... she began to rebel against her parents." – Dr. Katherine Ramsland [05:32]
-
Family's Military Connection [(06:31–07:23):]
- Deep family history of military service, adding irony to her eventual targeting of veterans.
4. Academic Brilliance and Social Alienation
-
Accomplishments and Social Patterns [(07:23–09:01):]
- Gilbert was academically gifted—talented in music, math, and graduating high school a year and a half early—but stood out for being unremarkable in appearance and lacking close friendships.
"The paucity of information is actually information in and of itself. So the fact that she didn't have anybody super close to her is consistent with several personality disorders." – Dr. Michelle Ward [22:18]
5. Disturbed Early Behavior and Pathological Lying
-
Early Red Flags [(09:01–12:25):]
- Repeatedly lied, claiming her mother was an abusive alcoholic, claimed kinship with infamous murderer Lizzie Borden, and showed a fascination with villainous nurses on television.
- Anecdotes of harming animals and manipulative, attention-seeking behaviors.
"She started telling people that she was related to Lizzie Borden. It's like saying, you know, I'm related to Charles Manson." – Bruce Sackman [12:38]
6. Manipulation and Escalating Violence in Relationships
-
Manipulative Relationships [(13:36–19:02):]
- Gilbert was prone to dramatic and manipulative acts, including threatening suicide (via eating glass), harassing or stalking boyfriends, destroying property, and even attempted harm (loosening car lug nuts).
"She would call up with heavy breathing and hang up. She claimed that she was going to commit suicide. She was really, really striving for attention." – Bruce Sackman [15:49]
"That's like an attempt of murder, right?... Your intention is for somebody to be injured." – Dr. Michelle Ward [18:59]
7. Personality Disorder Analysis
- Psychological Profile [(19:02–22:46):]
- Dr. Ward suggests a mix of narcissistic, psychopathic, and borderline traits, especially a pattern of dramatic reactions to abandonment, tumultuous relationships, and manipulative self-harm threats.
- Emphasized comorbidity—overlap of multiple psychological disorders.
8. College Years and First Documented Victim
-
Academic and Professional Trajectory [(22:46–25:11):]
- Despite mental health intervention being advised after a suicide threat, Gilbert evades therapy, transferring schools instead, showcasing avoidance and self-assuredness.
-
First Known Abuse: Disabled Child [(25:11–29:12):]
- As a student nurse, Gilbert was accused of scalding a severely disabled mute boy, despite safeguards on the faucet. The event is considered by experts as Gilbert's first experiment in exerting control and causing harm.
"The faucet had to be rejiggered for her to be able to use the water that hot and that is chilling... Not only is it not an accident, it was an experiment." – Dr. Katherine Ramsland [28:05, 28:31]
9. Institutional Failures and Continued Practice
-
Failure to Sanction [(29:12–34:13):]
- Despite this serious incident, Gilbert continued on the path to becoming a registered nurse. Experts discuss systemic issues: lack of licensure, institutional reluctance to intervene, and missed opportunities for prevention.
"That's because of civil rights, and that's because of a fundamental right to rehabilitate yourself, to make a mistake, to prove that it was a one time thing. So I do see pretty egregious acts where nurses are, you know, with some remediation, allowed to continue to practice." – Beatrice Yorker [30:54]
10. Relationship With Glenn Gilbert and Marriage
- Personal Life and Marriage [(34:37–36:40):]
- Gilbert meets Glenn Gilbert, finds stability in him, and quickly marries after obtaining her nursing qualifications. However, her violent tendencies quickly resurface.
11. Escalation to Violence in Intimate Settings
-
Domestic Violence [(36:40–37:16):]
- A chilling incident where Gilbert, in a fit of rage, chases her husband with a butcher knife, suggesting dangerous escalation of her behavior.
"She got extremely, extremely angry, grabbed a butcher knife and literally began to chase him around the house... it was truly more of an attempt on his life." – William Welch [36:40]
12. Transition Into "Killer Nurse"
- Foreshadowing Future Crimes [(37:16–38:43):]
- Dr. Ward concludes that Kristen Gilbert's behaviors—manipulation, deception, early violence—foreshadow her capacity for murder.
- The stage is set for her reign of terror at the VA Medical Center, where her pathology would result in multiple patient deaths.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
-
On Rebellious Patterns:
"She wouldn't have been too pleased about having to share things with a younger sister, especially when seven years younger... she really liked being the center of attention."
– Dr. Katherine Ramsland [03:10] -
On Fixation With Infamy:
"She started telling people that she was related to Lizzie Borden... It's like saying, you know, I'm related to Charles Manson."
– Bruce Sackman [12:38] -
On Early Violence:
"There were some sort of experiments or acts that she would commit on [animals] that, you know, struck people as pretty unnerving."
– William Welch [10:34] -
On Early Victim:
"She was experimenting on people."
– Dr. Katherine Ramsland [28:31]
Important Timestamps
- [00:34] – Introduction of Kristen Gilbert and case overview
- [03:10] – Early childhood, personality growing up
- [05:06] – Family disruption and its psychological impact
- [09:01] – Pathological lying and attention-seeking
- [10:34] – Anecdotes of animal cruelty
- [12:38] – Obsession with infamous criminal Lizzie Borden
- [15:44] – Destructive behavior in relationships
- [18:59] – Attempted sabotage of boyfriend’s car
- [25:11] – Scalding of disabled boy – first documented abuse
- [28:31] – Expert analysis: this was an “experiment”
- [30:54] – Systemic failure: why she was able to keep working
- [36:40] – Domestic violence: chasing husband with a knife
Episode Tone & Style
The episode is analytical, chilling, and empathetic—with Dr. Michelle Ward leveraging her expertise in criminal psychology for insight. The interviews and testimonials add depth and a factual tone, while the host regularly calls out systemic failures and critical psychological milestones.
Conclusion
By dissecting Kristen Gilbert's background, relationships, and early career, Dr. Ward and her guests illuminate how warning signs—often ignored or dismissed—can foreshadow true danger. The combination of Gilbert’s manipulative tendencies, violent escalation, and institutional blind spots allowed one of the most prolific female medical serial killers in US history to operate undetected for years.