The Ontario nurse accused of killing eight elderly patients in long-term care facilities was active on social media, where she shared photos and recipes, commented on internet memes.

But a poem apparently posted online by Elizabeth Wettlaufer, who has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of people in her care, reveals a darker side to her online musings.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Heart beats then sprays/as this next victim pays/her deft dagger’s bill, Does it quench her craze? Sharp thirst recedes as she dances in blood – satiated for now no longer a flood.”

The National Post reports the poem was written by Wettlaufer under the pseudonym Betty Weston on the website allpoetry.com.

Police announced on Tuesday that Wettlaufer, 49, is charged with eight counts of first-degree murder following a “multi-jurisdictional” homicide investigation into the deaths of elderly patients in long-term-care facilities in London, Ont. and Woodstock, Ont.

It appears Wettlaufer was active on social media, particularly Facebook, where her posts included chronicling an apparent journey to sobriety.

A Facebook profile under the name Bethe Wettlaufer displays childhood photos, images of food dishes and some recipes as well as a June 16, 2016 photo in which she appears to be paying tribute to her father on Father’s Day.

In a Facebook post dated Sept. 28, 2015, Wettlaufer wrote: “One year ago today I woke up not dead. 365 days clean and sober.”

She also appears to share some details of daily life as a nurse: 

There are also inspirational posts:
 

A LinkedIn profile for someone with the name Elizabeth Wettlaufer says the woman worked as a charge nurse at Caressant Care home from June 2007 to March 2014. The profile indicates a bachelor’s degree in counselling from the London Baptist Bible College.

Police said Tuesday that Wettlaufer was a registered nurse with many years working in the health-care field under her belt. She was charged following a “multi-jurisdictional” homicide investigation. Police said they were first alerted to the deaths on Sept. 29.

According to public records from the College of Nurses of Ontario, Wettlaufer is no longer “entitled to practice” in the province.

CTV News has learned that Wettlaufer was treated for addiction at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and it was her time there that sparked the police investigation into the nursing home deaths.

Sources say Wettlaufer was being treated at the centre when she allegedly told someone at the facility about eight deaths during her employment at two long-term-care facilities in southwestern Ontario.

Toronto homicide investigators were called in, and the case was turned over to Woodstock police. Wettlaufer was arrested and charged on Monday. Prior to her arrest, Wettlaufer agreed to a peace bond requiring her to live with her parents in Woodstock.

A friend who did not want to be identified said Wettlaufer had just returned from a second stint in rehab.

“Three weeks ago she was in for 15 or 16 days,” the friend said, adding that Wettlaufer had told her that she had a problem with narcotics and that she now had a nightly curfew.

“She just said that she wasn’t allowed to be near alcohol or she could go to jail.”

Wettlaufer’s peace bond stated that she will continue to attend AA meetings and not possess insulin, medications or any other controlled drugs.

Neighbour Wade Messenger says the accused told him she nearly killed a patient. “Out of the blue she says, ‘I got fired from one for stealing medication. The other one I got fired because I was high and the patient almost died when I gave them the wrong medication.’”

The claims have not been confirmed.

Wettlaufer appeared in court Tuesday morning and was remanded into custody until Nov. 2, police said.

Investigators are now contacting other seniors’ facilities where Wettlaufer may have been previously employed. The investigation is ongoing and police did not rule out more charges being laid in the future.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

With a report from CTV Toronto and files from The Canadian Press