A former doctor from Oklahoma City has been charged with nine counts of murder in alleged connection with the deaths of eight patients, Wednesday.
The Oklahoma County District Court charged 71-year-old William Martin Valuck with an additional 72 counts of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, according to The Oklahoman. Prosecutors also said this week that Valuck illegally prescribed drugs to a patient who died while reportedly under the influence December 2013.
Valuck has been accused of causing the deaths of patients Victoria Pretzer, Joyce Curnett, Christina Green, Paul Beesley, Jennifer Zimmerman, Michelle Salazar, SaShawn Saatian and Lorra Hilton, all of whom died from drug toxicity after consuming severely high amounts of prescription drugs.
According to the arrest warrant submitted by Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control agent T.N. Briscoe, Valuck issued prescriptions without performing check-ups or examinations.
"Our investigation has revealed that during a period of approximately one year, Dr. Valuck prescribed extremely large amounts of controlled subtances - including the most abused prescription drugs on the street - to numerous patients with very little medical examination or the establishment of a valid doctor-patient relationship."
Valuck practiced medicine until he surrendered his license Dec. 13, the Associated Press reported. He was arrested at his home in Kilgore on December 27.
