A Berlin-based doctor is facing charges for the murder of 15 palliative care patients in a chilling case prosecutors say was driven purely by a “lust for murder”, The Guardian reported.
The 40-year-old, named as Johannes M. by German media, allegedly administered fatal doses of sedatives and muscle relaxants to patients aged between 25 and 94, causing rapid respiratory arrest.
The deaths occurred between September 2021 and July 2024. In several cases, prosecutors allege the doctor attempted to destroy evidence by setting fires in victims’ homes. One fire failed to ignite, and he reportedly called a relative, feigning concern.
On 8 July 2024, he is said to have killed two people just hours apart. In another incident, he called emergency services himself, falsely claiming he had tried to resuscitate the patient.
Initially arrested for manslaughter in four cases, the charges have since grown to 15 murders. “The accused appears to have had no motive… other than the act of killing itself,” said the prosecution.
Authorities are seeking a permanent medical ban and long-term preventative detention for the suspect. An investigation team is reviewing 395 additional cases, with 95 already under preliminary scrutiny.
Twelve bodies have been exhumed so far, five tied to the current charges. Another five exhumations are scheduled.
The case is drawing comparisons to a separate German trial where a nurse is accused of killing nine patients, allegedly to reduce workload and assert control.