A court in Berlin has sentenced a 41-year-old palliative care doctor to life in prison after finding him guilty of murdering 15 patients under his care. Identified only as Johannes M. in accordance with German privacy laws, the doctor was convicted of killing 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024.
The victims, aged between 25 and 94, were all seriously ill but were not considered to be at immediate risk of death. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the doctor intentionally administered fatal doses of medication to patients during home visits without obtaining their consent.
Investigators also revealed that, in several cases, the doctor allegedly started fires at victims’ homes in an attempt to destroy evidence and conceal the crimes.
One of the incidents highlighted during the proceedings occurred in July 2024, shortly before his arrest. Prosecutors said the doctor killed a 75-year-old man at his residence in central Berlin before visiting a 76-year-old woman later the same day in a nearby district, where she was also allegedly murdered. Authorities said he attempted to set the woman’s home on fire, but the effort was unsuccessful.
For most of the year-long trial, the doctor chose not to testify. However, in the final stages of the proceedings, he admitted to killing 12 seriously ill patients. He told the court that he believed he was relieving them of suffering and convinced himself that his actions were justified. He also expressed regret and apologized for the pain caused to the victims’ families.
Despite the convictions, the investigation is far from over. German prosecutors are examining 76 additional cases that may be linked to the former doctor. If further charges are confirmed and lead to convictions, the case could become one of the largest serial murder investigations in Germany’s history.
Family members of several victims described their shock during the trial, insisting their loved ones had not given up on life. Relatives recalled that many of the victims still had hopes, plans, and a desire to continue living despite their illnesses.
In its ruling, the Berlin court described the crimes as particularly severe. In addition to the life sentence, the court ordered preventive detention after the prison term and permanently prohibited the doctor from practising medicine.
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