KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Livingston County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office is looking for an Overland Park woman who has a warrant for first-degree murder.
Jennifer Hall, 41, had a warrant issued for her arrest on May 4.
The warrant was issued for a death that happened on May 18, 2002, that authorities believe Hall to be responsible for.
According to the probable cause documents in the case, Hall stands accused of using her position as a respiratory therapist at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe to murder at least one patient.
She worked at the facility from December 2001 through May 2002, when she was placed on administrative leave.
Court documents show Hall was being investigated due to a rise in cardiac collapse incidents associated with her employment. During the roughly six months she was employed, 18 such incidents occurred.
HMC said the hospital historically averaged one "Code" or "Code Blue" incident in that time period, raising alarm.
Hall was the person closest to each of the patients that suffered a collapse, and nine of the 18 died despite attempts to resuscitate them.
The case Hall is being charged in is the death of elderly pneumonia patient Fern Franco.
According to court documents, Franco was discovered deceased by both Hall and another employee. The other employee said they never had a respiratory therapist enter a room with them. That employee attempted to revive the elderly woman but was unsuccessful.
Hall was placed on leave on May 21, 2002, as a result of the death. The hospital said "Code" incidents returned to historical frequency after she was placed on leave.
The medical report from her death states Franco was given atropine and epinephrine during the revival attempt.
Court documents state the coroner obtained a search warrant for Franco's remains the day after Hall was put on leave.
An autopsy obtained tissue samples and showed that the drugs succinylcholine and morphine were present, neither of which were prescribed to the pneumonia patient or ordered by her doctors.
Experts in medical serial killers reviewed the information and ruled that Franco's death was a homicide by succinylcholine poisoning. The drug would have paralyzed the woman's muscles, causing her to suffocate while fully conscious. Morphine is also detrimental to pneumonia patients.
The probable cause protects the identity of witnesses at the medical center because they fear for the safety of their families because Hall is "exceptionally computer literate, capable of locating anyone's personal information, and efficient at masking her on-line identity."
Now, 20 years later, authorities are looking for Hall. It is not clear why the case took this long.
She is described as having brown hair and hazel eyes. She is 5-foot-5 and 135 pounds.
Hall may be using the last name "Semaboye," according to the sheriff's office.
Her last known address was in Overland Park, and authorities in Kansas and the greater Kansas City area are looking for her.
Anyone who has information on Hall's whereabouts should call the Livingston County Sheriff's Office at 660-646-0515.
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