Jeffrey Lynn Feltner

Case record: Jeffrey Lynn Feltner

Background

Jeffrey Lynn Feltner was a White male born in 1963. His parents separated three months before he was born, and he grew up living with his mother and three older siblings in Miami. Feltner was small in stature. As a fully-grown adult, he was 5’3” tall and weighed just over 100 pounds. As a child, he was often teased by other children because of his size. Feltner preferred to stay indoors and work on domestic activities and chores rather than play with other children.

At the age of 16, Feltner moved with his mother, who had remarried, and his siblings to Melrose, Florida. Feltner adjusted well and made friends in the new community. He was an average student, making mostly Bs and Cs on his report cards.

During this time, Feltner began to secretly visit homosexual locales.

After graduating from high school, Feltner began working the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift at the same nursing home where his mother was employed as a nursing assistant. As a nurse’s aide, his performance was so exceptional that he was quickly promoted to aide supervisor.

Around this time, Feltner was diagnosed with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

The offence

In July of 1988, an anonymous caller to a crisis line and television station confessed to killing several residents of the nursing home. The caller identified himself as a nurse’s aide and confessed to the mercy killings of three females and two males. The caller also warned that he would probably kill again.

When the calls began again, the caller confessed to the attempted murder of another patient, but when authorities investigated the claims, there was no evidence to support them; the evidence seemed to contradict what the caller claimed.

Feltner was arrested and charged with making harassing phone calls, trespassing, and filing a false report. He was found guilty on all charges and spent four months in jail.

After his release, Feltner visited his father in Michigan for a short time and then returned to Florida.

Feltner moved to Daytona Beach and found employment at a temporary agency for healthcare professionals. He was employed by several nursing homes and often worked the evening shift.

In these anonymous calls, Feltner confessed to killing two more patients, bringing the total of alleged murders to seven. He included his modus operandi of asphyxiation in these conversations. He also discussed these murders with his roommate, who immediately notified law enforcement.

After an investigation, Feltner was arrested in August of 1989 on one charge of first-degree murder. While under arrest, Feltner confessed to the murder. He also confessed to the mercy killing at least one other victim at the nursing home where he was first employed after high school. The victim’s body was exhumed, an autopsy was performed, and the remains exhibited evidence of foul play.

Investigating the other murders confessed through anonymous phone calls proved difficult because many of the bodies had been cremated. When the investigation concluded, Feltner was charged with only two murders.

Investigation

Investigators questioned Feltner after the July 1988 anonymous confession, but due to lack of evidence, the investigation was put on hold.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office checked out and discounted the claim that seven patients had been killed at a Putnam County home about two years earlier. “We poked holes in everything,” said Putnam sheriff’s Capt. Cliff Miller. “It looks as if he was looking for attention.”

Kent Morton, assignment editor at WESH-Channel 2’s Daytona Beach office, said a man calling himself “Jack” told him that a friend had killed at least seven patients over the past few years to “relieve them of their pain.” Morton said “Jack” called back on Aug. 9, repeating his story. Morton said he notified Daytona Beach police after each call and encouraged “Jack” to do the same. Morton said, “He sounded very rational,” and “As it turns out, it appears he was describing himself.”

William Powell, Clyatt’s administrator, said Feltner was working the night Moriarty died and told a nurse that she ought to check on her. Powell said, “I think what we gathered is that he looked in and saw that she had died,” and “That’s what we thought he meant.”

Arrest

Daytona Beach police arrested Jeffrey Lynn Feltner, 26, in the July 11 death of Doris Moriarty at Clyatt Memorial Center. Feltner was being held without bail in the Volusia County Jail on one count of first-degree murder.

Feltner lived above a bar on Main Street in Daytona Beach, but was arrested at a mental health crisis center he had entered the last week.

Feltner failed to show up for work July 15 and 16 and was fired.

Trial

Feltner pled not guilty to the first-degree murder charge during his first trial.

His lawyer attempted to plea bargain with a second-degree murder charge in exchange for a 40-year maximum sentence, but the judge rejected it. Feltner then changed his plea to guilty on one first-degree murder charge.

While awaiting trial, Feltner was held without bail and recanted his confessions. In a letter to his father, Feltner stated that his confessions were only a ploy to draw attention to the poor conditions and neglect in nursing homes.

While in jail, Feltner intentionally cut his wrists and upper arm on separate occasions.

After the first trial, Feltner was sentenced to life in prison with a mandatory 25-year minimum sentence.

A few days after this sentence, Feltner pled guilty in his second trial to a second-degree murder charge and was sentenced to an additional 17 years in prison.

Sentencing

Feltner was sentenced to life in prison with a mandatory 25-year minimum sentence.

He also received an additional 17 years in prison after pleading guilty in his second trial to a second-degree murder charge. He pled guilty on two counts, receiving life term plus 17 years, in 1991.

Outcome

Feltner died of AIDS in prison on 17 March 1993.

Other details

Moriarty was 83 years old and of Port Orange. She had been a Clyatt patient for three years before dying about a month after Feltner began working there. Police said Feltner confessed to killing a patient in Ormond Beach and five at a Putnam County home about two years ago.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said the latter claim was checked out and discounted. Cliff Miller.

Powell said apart from being an excellent worker, Feltner was fired after failing to show up for work July 15 and 16.

Feltner’s journey to jail began with a call to a television station.