Luina Schidlowski, an 87-year-old white female, died on January 22, 1997, in Los Angeles County, California. Her death was later linked to a series of suspicious fatalities at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, where she had been a patient. Schidlowski was one of six elderly individuals whose remains were exhumed and tested for the presence of Pavulon, a powerful muscle relaxant typically used to paralyze patients before intubation.
The drug was found in her system, and it was determined that its administration had not been part of any legitimate medical treatment.
The investigation into these deaths led authorities to Efren Saldivar, a former respiratory therapist at the hospital. Saldivar, who had previously referred to himself as the "Angel of Death," was arrested and charged with multiple counts of murder. Prosecutors alleged that he had injected Pavulon into several elderly patients, including Luina Schidlowski, without providing the necessary artificial respiratory support, thereby causing their deaths by asphyxiation.
In 2002, Efren Saldivar pled guilty to six counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The victims, all elderly, included Jose Alfaro Salbi Asatryan Myrtle Brower Balbino Castro Eleanora Schlegel and Luina Schidlowski all of whom were white females or males. The attempted murder charge stemmed from a failed attempt to kill another patient, Jean Coyle, who survived and later testified against Saldivar.
As part of a plea agreement, Saldivar received six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. The plea deal allowed prosecutors to avoid a lengthy and complex trial that would have involved extensive scientific evidence and numerous witnesses. The case drew national attention due to the chilling nature of the crimes and the breach of trust by a healthcare professional entrusted with the care of vulnerable patients.
