A 40-year-old palliative care physician in Berlin has been charged with the murder of 15 patients under his care between September 2021 and July 2024.
According to authorities, the number of victims could rise significantly, as investigators are currently reviewing 75 additional cases. The 40-year-old doctor had been in custody since August 2024.
Prosecutors allege that the doctor, identified as Johannes M., administered lethal combinations of anesthetics and muscle relaxants without the patients’ knowledge or consent, leading to respiratory arrest and death within minutes.
Also, investigators noted that the patients were not in an acute terminal phase at the time of death.
The doctor came under suspicion following the deaths of four patients between June 11 and July 24, 2024. The victims, aged 72 to 94, died in their Berlin homes, which were then set on fire by the suspect in what investigators believe was an attempt to cover up the killings.
According to the prosecutor, “the police investigated the incidents as arson resulting in death, the suspicions rose after his care service provided crucial tips that backed up the case”.
While the patient’s records that are linked to the doctor are examined by the homicide division Berlin’s state office of Criminal Investigation, the case will be presented to the Berlin regional court for judgment.
Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence without the possibility of release after 15 years, citing the gravity of the crimes. They also aim to have the doctor permanently banned from practicing medicine.
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