Berlin palliative care doctor confesses to killing 12 patients in court

On Thursday, a significant development occurred in a high-profile criminal trial at the Berlin Regional Court. A 40-year-old palliative care doctor, initially accused of murdering 15 patients – 12 women and three men – confessed to 12 killings. The crimes took place between September 2021 and July 2024, with victims ranging in age from 25 to 87.

The doctor administered a lethal mixture of various medications to the patients. Prosecutors believe that in several cases, he also set fires in an attempt to cover up his actions. Parallel to the trial, authorities are investigating dozens of other cases in which the accused may have committed similar offenses.

In court, the defendant stated: "Only now am I able to explain my actions and take responsibility for what I have done." He apologized to the victims' relatives, as well as to his family and colleagues, for the suffering he caused.

Weeks earlier, the court played recorded phone conversations between the detained doctor and his wife. In those calls, he described his actions as a "moral act carried out with wrong means," aimed at sparing his patients from suffering. During the hearing, the doctor explained that his confession was not driven by overwhelming evidence but by a deep self-analysis over the past few months.

The doctor committed the offenses while working for a care service in Berlin.