"Medical professional deliberately delivered fatal substances to patients"
In the Regional Court of Berlin, a 40-year-old doctor named Johannes M. stands accused of murdering 15 gravely ill patients between September 2021 and July 2024[1][2]. The victims, aged 25 to 94, mostly died at home, where the doctor administered a lethal drug combination that paralyzed their respiratory muscles, causing suffocation and death within minutes[1][2].
The doctor is under suspicion for committing these crimes while working for a nursing service[1]. Prosecutors accuse him of premeditated malice and acting with a "lust for murder," exploiting patients' trust under the guise of providing palliative care[1][2]. The motive appears to be a depraved desire for control over life and death rather than mercy or euthanasia, as the victims were seriously ill but not imminently dying[1][2].
The investigations were triggered by burns that the doctor is said to have caused to cover up the killings[1]. He is also suspected of setting fires in five victims' homes to destroy evidence and potentially conceal his crimes[1][4]. Authorities are investigating about 70 additional cases related to him[4].
The trial began on July 14, 2025, and is ongoing as investigators continue to examine the full extent of the alleged crimes[1][2][4]. The defendant has refused to speak with a psychiatric expert or address the court so far, with assessments relying on observations and witness testimony[1].
The prosecution seeks a "particularly serious" conviction, which would prevent parole after the usual 15-year term, alongside a lifetime medical license ban and preventive detention[1][5]. The doctor was active in several federal states[1], and the first cases under suspicion occurred between June 11 and July 24, 2024, in Berlin[1]. The known death cases date back to the year 2021[1].
It is important to note that the doctor's alleged actions are within the scope of his activity as a palliative doctor[1]. However, the accused administered a lethal mixture of various medications without the patients' consent, which is a clear violation of medical ethics and the law.
Sources: 1. Berliner Morgenpost 2. Der Spiegel 3. Die Welt 4. FAZ 5. Süddeutsche Zeitung
- The medical-conditions of the 15 gravely ill patients who were killed by the accused doctor in Berlin were serious, but not imminently life-threatening, suggesting a depraved desire for control over life and death rather than euthanasia.
- The science behind the lethal drug combination used by the accused doctor to cause suffocation and death within minutes is a subject of concern in the health-and-wellness and general-news communities, as it was administered without the patients' consent.
- The crime-and-justice department is investigating approximately 70 additional cases in different federal states, possibly implicating the accused doctor in further medical-conditions-related incidents.
