Berlin Doctor Under Investigation for Suspected Lethal Injection Cases

Doctor discussing with patient, holding clipboard on desk.

A Berlin doctor stands accused of murdering 15 palliative care patients by administering lethal injections that caused rapid death, with prosecutors claiming the physician’s actions were motivated solely by a “lust for murder.”

Key Takeaways

A 40-year-old Berlin palliative care doctor has been charged with murdering 15 patients using a deadly cocktail of anesthetics and muscle relaxants.
The suspect allegedly set fire to five victims’ apartments in an attempt to cover up his crimes.
Victims ranged in age from 25 to 94, with deaths occurring within minutes of receiving injections.
Prosecutors are seeking a lifelong professional ban and preventive detention beyond any prison sentence.
An additional 75 suspicious deaths are under investigation, with 395 cases identified for further review.

Deadly Deception in Palliative Care

German authorities have charged a Berlin palliative care physician with the murder of 15 patients who died under his care between September 2021 and July 2024. The 40-year-old doctor, identified only as Johannes M. under German privacy laws, allegedly administered lethal injections to 12 women and three men without their knowledge or consent. The victims’ ages ranged from 25 to 94, making this one of the most disturbing medical murder cases in recent European history. The doctor has been in custody since August 6 2024 when he was initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in four deaths.

“The doctor allegedly ‘administered an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant to his patients without their knowledge or consent,'” reported the Berlin prosecutor’s office. The lethal combination caused immediate and fatal results as ‘the relaxant paralysed the respiratory muscles, leading to respiratory arrest and death within minutes.'”

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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Calculated Cover-Ups

According to prosecutors, the physician went to extraordinary lengths to conceal his crimes. The doctor allegedly set fire to five victims’ apartments to destroy evidence of the murders. In a particularly disturbing development, authorities report that on July 8, 2024, the suspect killed two patients on the same day in different Berlin districts, demonstrating what prosecutors describe as calculated planning. Investigators have conducted twelve exhumations, with five directly related to the current charges and five more planned as the investigation continues.

The scale of the investigation is massive. A special investigation team has identified 395 suspicious cases in total, with 95 confirmed for preliminary proceedings and 75 still under assessment. If convicted of all suspected murders, the doctor would become the most prolific serial killer in Europe since a German nurse killed at least 85 patients approximately two decades ago.

Legal Proceedings and Potential Punishment

The Berlin state court will now decide whether to proceed to trial based on the charges filed. Under German law, murder convictions can result in a life sentence, though parole is typically possible after 15 years. However, prosecutors are seeking extraordinary measures in this case. They aim to establish that the suspect bears “particularly severe guilt,” which would prevent early release. Additionally, they are requesting a lifelong professional ban and preventive detention to keep the doctor incarcerated beyond his sentence for public safety reasons.

What makes this case particularly disturbing is the alleged motive. Unlike some medical serial killers who claim mercy as their motivation, prosecutors state the Berlin doctor had “no motive other than a lust for murder.” The indictment includes accusations of “malice aforethought,” suggesting the murders were premeditated. The doctor has reportedly not admitted to any of the charges, according to prosecutors. This case bears similarities to another ongoing trial in Germany where a nurse is accused of murdering nine patients in palliative care, allegedly motivated by “a desire to reduce his workload on night shifts.”