A 40-year-old German doctor is facing multiple murder charges after allegedly killing at least 15 patients under his care. The suspect, who worked in palliative care, is accused of administering sedatives and muscle relaxants to his victims without their knowledge or consent. The muscle relaxants paralyzed the patients’ respiratory muscles, causing their breathing to stop within minutes.
The victims, 12 women and 3 men, ranged in age from 25 to 94. They died between September 2021 and July 2024. Prosecutors in Berlin believe the actual number of victims may be higher, as the doctor had treated patients in several German states.
Disturbing Details
The doctor is accused of killing two patients on the same day in July 2024. One was a 75-year-old man at his home in central Berlin, and the other was a 76-year-old woman in a nearby neighborhood. He allegedly tried to set fire to the woman’s apartment but failed. He then contacted her relatives, pretending he had arrived at the apartment but couldn’t get a response.
The doctor was arrested in August 2024. Initially, police suspected he had killed four patients, but further investigation revealed more suspicious deaths. Authorities are planning to exhume additional bodies to determine if they were also victims of murder.
Investigation Continues
The case has shocked the German medical community, raising concerns about patient safety and the trust between healthcare providers and their patients. The investigation is ongoing, with prosecutors working to determine the full extent of the doctor’s alleged crimes. The source of this information is bbc.