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Judicial pretrial coming for former nurse facing 8 murder charges in Woodstock, Ont., court

The former Woodstock, Ont., nurse charged with eight counts of first-degree murder involving seniors in long-term care appeared via video link in court this morning.

Elizabeth Wettlaufer is accused of using insulin injections to kill 8 seniors and harm 6 others in her care

Elizabeth Wettlaufer is escorted into the courthouse in Woodstock, Ont., on Jan. 13. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)

A judicial pretrial will be scheduled for the case of a former Woodstock, Ont., nurse charged with eight counts of first-degree murder involving seniors in long-term care.

Elizabeth Wettlaufer briefly appeared in court via video Friday morning to set a date — March 17 — for the meeting between her lawyer, the Crown and judge to discuss their arguments ahead of the trial. 

The 49-year-old is also charged with four counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with patients she cared for while working at southern Ontario care homes.

She is accused of using insulin injections to kill seniors in her care at three nursing homes and a private residence between 2007 and 2016.

Family members of the seniors involved in the investigation have made regular appearances at the Woodstock court for the high-profile trial.

'The OPP told us to stay away, but I don't listen to anyone': Andrea Silcox

8 years ago
Duration 2:02
Daughter of the late James Silcox went to court in Woodstock to watch Elizabeth Wettlaufer by video link

Wettlaufer, who has been in custody at the Vanier Institute for Women in Milton since late October, was first arrested and charged with eight murders in November.

Those charges were related to deaths that occurred between August 2007 and August 2014. The patients were between 75 and 96 years old. 

Seven patients died at the Caressant Care Nursing and Retirement Home in Woodstock, while one died at the Meadow Park facility in London.

Wettlaufer arrives in court

8 years ago
Duration 0:18
Accused of killing long-term-care facility seniors, former Woodstock, Ont., nurse arrives in court

Just before Wettlaufer appeared in court in January, the Ontario Provincial Police announced the six additional charges related to patients she cared for between June 2007 and August 2016 in three locations.

One of the facilities was the Caressant Care nursing home, where Wettlaufer spent years working as a nurse.