A Berlin palliative care doctor has been charged with murdering 15 patients by administering lethal injections, allegedly acting out of a “lust for killing” before setting fires to cover his tracks.
Key Takeaways
- A Berlin doctor is charged with murdering 15 palliative care patients using lethal cocktails of anesthetics and muscle relaxants between 2021-2024.
- The 40-year-old suspect allegedly set fire to five victims’ apartments to conceal his crimes.
- Victims ranged from 25 to 94 years old and died within minutes of receiving unauthorized injections.
- Prosecutors seek life imprisonment, preventive detention, and a permanent professional ban.
- An additional 75 suspicious deaths are under investigation, with more exhumations planned.
Murder Charges and Methodology
The suspect, identified only as Johannes M. due to German privacy laws, allegedly murdered 12 women and three men under his care between September 2021 and July 2022. Investigators report that the doctor administered a deadly combination of an anesthetic followed by a muscle relaxant to unsuspecting patients. These medications were given without patients’ knowledge or consent, leading to rapid respiratory failure and death.
The alleged victims spanned a wide age range from 25 to 94 years old. Prosecutors allege the doctor had no motive beyond a “lust for murder,” distinguishing this case from mercy killings or euthanasia. In a particularly disturbing revelation, the suspect is accused of killing two patients on the same day, July 8, 2022, in different Berlin districts, suggesting a methodical approach to his crimes.
Prosecutors in Germany have charged a doctor with 15 counts of murder, alleging that he administered lethal doses of medication to palliative care patients out of malice and other base motives.
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Cover-Up Through Arson
The investigation revealed that the suspected doctor allegedly attempted to conceal his crimes by setting fire to the apartments of five victims. This calculated effort to destroy evidence initially complicated investigators’ work, but forensic analysis eventually connected the deaths to the suspect. The deliberate destruction of evidence through arson has contributed to prosecutors seeking enhanced charges that include “malice aforethought.”
Initially arrested in August on suspicion of manslaughter related to four deaths, the investigation has since expanded dramatically. The 40-year-old doctor has been held at Moabit Prison in Berlin since his arrest, with charges now upgraded to murder as evidence mounted against him. Under German law, if convicted, he faces life imprisonment with potential parole after 15 years.
Expanding Investigation
A special investigation team has identified a staggering 395 suspicious cases potentially linked to the doctor. Of these, 95 have been confirmed for preliminary proceedings, while 75 additional deaths remain under active assessment. Authorities have conducted twelve exhumations to date, with five directly related to the current charges. Five more exhumations are planned as the investigation continues to unfold.
The public prosecutor has requested special security custody to keep the doctor imprisoned beyond his potential sentence, citing public safety concerns. Additionally, prosecutors are seeking a lifelong professional ban to prevent the suspect from ever working in healthcare again. The case has been filed to the Berlin state court, which will determine whether to proceed to trial based on the evidence presented.
Historical Context
This case bears resemblance to another ongoing trial in Germany where a nurse is accused of murdering nine patients in palliative care. If convicted of all charges, the Berlin doctor would become the most prolific serial killer in Europe since a German nurse killed at least 85 patients two decades ago. The prosecutor handling the nurse’s case stated the suspect “considered himself the master of life and death,” highlighting the disturbing pattern of healthcare professionals abusing their positions of trust.
Sources:
Berlin palliative care doctor charged with murder of 15 patients
Palliative Care Doctor Is Charged With Serial Murder of 15 Patients in Germany
A Berlin doctor has been charged with the killings of 15 patients under palliative care
