Bio

Tony Protopappas was born in 1945. He grew up in the United States. Tony became a dentist and established a dental clinic in Costa Mesa, California. His practice was known for being a high-volume clinic, heavily advertised to attract patients.

He operated the clinic for about nine years before his arrest in 1983. During this time, he treated many patients and was seen as a professional in his field. He had personal struggles, including issues with substance abuse. He admitted to abusing cocaine and alcohol for two years.

Murder Story

On April 9, 1983, Tony Protopappas, a dentist in Costa Mesa, California, was charged with the murders of three of his patients. The victims included Kim Minna Andreassen, who died on September 30, 1982, Cathryn Louise Jones, who passed away on February 13, 1983, and Patricia Marguerite Craven, who was killed on February 19, 1983. Authorities stated that Protopappas had overdosed these patients with anesthetics during dental procedures.

The first victim, Kim Andreassen, was just 23 years old and weighed only 88 pounds. She died while undergoing an operation to remove her wisdom teeth. Protopappas injected her with nine different anesthetic drugs. After Kim, Cathryn Jones, a 31-year-old woman, became the second victim six months later. Patricia Craven, a 13-year-old girl, was the last victim, dying shortly after Cathryn.

Protopappas surrendered to the authorities on April 12, 1983, after an arrest warrant was issued for him. The initial bail amount was set at $500,000 but was later reduced to $300,000 when he put up his properties as collateral. During his court appearance, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following a trial that lasted several months, a jury found Protopappas guilty of three counts of second-degree murder on July 31, 1984. The judge sentenced him to serve concurrent terms of fifteen years to life for each conviction on October 22, 1984. Protopappas's status as a convicted serial killer was marked by his actions as a trusted medical professional who caused the deaths of his patients through misuse of anesthesia.