German doctor jailed for life for murdering 15 patients, suspected of more
A German palliative care doctor, Johannes M., has been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing 15 patients. Prosecutors are investigating 76 other cases that may be linked to the doctor.
A Berlin court on Wednesday sentenced a 41-year-old palliative care doctor to life imprisonment for murdering 15 of his patients. The doctor, identified only as Johannes M. under German privacy rules, was found guilty of killing 12 women and 3 men between September 2021 and July 2024.
The victims ranged in age from 25 to 94. All were critically ill, but their deaths were not imminent, the court heard. During home visits, the doctor administered a lethal combination of medicines without patient consent. In several cases, he allegedly set fires to cover his tracks.
In July 2024, shortly before his arrest, the doctor killed two patients in a single day: a 75-year-old man in central Berlin and, hours later, a 76-year-old woman in a neighboring district. Prosecutors said he tried to set fire to the woman's house but failed.
After a year-long trial, the doctor confessed last month to having "killed people" – twelve of his severely ill patients. "Throughout it all, I thought this was the best thing for everyone," he told the court, apologizing for the suffering caused.
Authorities suspect more victims. Prosecutors are currently investigating 76 other cases. German media report that if proven, this could be one of the worst serial murder cases in the country's history.
Relatives expressed their grief during the trial. The son of a 72-year-old victim said his mother had planned a trip to the Baltic Sea with her sister. "My mother wanted to keep on living," he said.
The court also ordered preventive detention for the doctor and imposed a lifetime ban on his practising medicine.
