Jeffrey Lynn Feltner was born on November 21, 1962, in Miami, Florida. His parents, Kasper and Shirley, separated three months before he was born. His father moved to Michigan, while Jeffrey stayed with his mother. The two lived together until they moved to Melrose, Florida, in 1979. There, Jeffrey attended Interlachen High School, where he later graduated.

At school, Jeffrey was seen as a loner by many of his classmates. He preferred to spend time away from school, often visiting gay bars and similar places in the area. During one of these visits, he contracted HIV, a virus that gradually weakened his health over the years.

In 1986, Jeffrey's mother helped him get a job at New Life Acres nursing home in Melrose. She worked there as a nursing assistant. Jeffrey worked hard and earned respect from both the patients and the staff. After a few months, he was promoted to a supervising position where he oversaw the work of other aides.

In 1987, Jeffrey took a brief break from his job. He wanted to find his biological father, which he succeeded in doing. After this search, he returned to Melrose and was rehired at the nursing home.

From February to April 1988, five patients died at the New Life Acres nursing home. Their deaths were initially thought to be from natural causes. In July 1988, Jeffrey Feltner called a crisis hotline and confessed to the killings, claiming he had an impulse to end their suffering. The patients he mentioned were Bernie "Berniece" Katherine Olsen, Lathan Thornton, Sarah F. Abrams, Rita May Sugrue, and William H. James.

Despite his confessions, there was not enough evidence to charge him with any crimes. During the investigation, Feltner made more calls, claiming he had tried to kill another patient, but police dismissed him for contradictory statements. He was later charged with making harassing phone calls and received a four-month sentence.

After his release, Feltner moved to Daytona Beach and got a job at the Clyatt Memorial Center. On July 11, 1989, 83-year-old Doris Moriarty died at the center. Shortly after, Feltner was fired for not showing up to work. He then started working at Bowman's Nursing Home, where 81-year-old Ruby P. Swisher died on July 27.

On August 9, 1989, Feltner experienced a mental breakdown and called a local TV station to confess to his crimes. The administrator of the Clyatt Memorial Center reported his confession to the police. He was arrested and admitted to killing the patients, stating he wanted to relieve their suffering. The authorities later exhumed the bodies of three of his victims for testing.

Feltner went to trial in January 1990. Surprisingly, he recanted his confession, saying he made it up to draw attention to poor conditions at nursing homes. Despite maintaining his innocence, he pleaded guilty to two murders to avoid a death sentence. He received a 25-to-life sentence in Florida State Prison. His mother later stated he confessed because his health was deteriorating from AIDS complications. He died in prison on March 17, 1993.