Matthew Mattern, a 22-year-old male from Shamokin, Pennsylvania, died on August 31, 1999, at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania. He was a victim of Charles Edmund Cullen, a nurse and convicted serial killer known as the 'Angel of Death.'
Charles Cullen was employed at Lehigh Valley Hospital's burn unit starting in December 1998. During his tenure, he administered lethal doses of medications to several patients, including Matthew Mattern. Specifically, Cullen used digoxin, a medication commonly used to treat heart conditions, to fatally poison his victims.
Cullen's killing spree spanned multiple medical facilities over several years. He confessed to murdering up to 40 patients during his 16-year nursing career, but experts estimate he may be responsible for as many as 400 deaths. His method typically involved administering overdoses of medications like digoxin to unsuspecting patients.
In December 2003, authorities arrested Charles Cullen. He subsequently pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Cullen is currently serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.
