A German palliative care doctor has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering 15 of his patients. The 41-year-old physician, identified as Johannes M. in line with German privacy laws, was convicted by a Berlin court on Wednesday of killing 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024.
Prosecutors believe the confirmed killings may represent only a fraction of his actions, as they are currently investigating dozens of other cases involving the doctor. His victims ranged in age from 25 to 94. The court heard that all of the patients were critically ill, but their deaths were not considered imminent.
According to prosecutors, the doctor administered a lethal combination of medications to his patients during home visits without their consent. On several occasions, he reportedly set fires to destroy evidence. In July 2024, shortly before his arrest, he is said to have killed two patients in a single day: a 75-year-old man in central Berlin and a 76-year-old woman in a neighboring district. An attempt to set fire to the woman's house failed.
During the trial, which lasted about a year, the doctor initially remained silent but last month confessed to having "killed people," specifically naming twelve of his severely ill patients. He stated that he had convinced himself he was acting in their best interest, sparing them further suffering and infirmity. He also offered an apology for the distress he caused.
Authorities suspect he may have killed additional patients, with 76 other cases under investigation. German media reports suggest that if further charges are proven and lead to convictions, this case could become one of the most significant instances of serial murder in Germany's history. The doctor indicated a willingness to "get involved much earlier in the forthcoming proceedings" regarding these additional cases.
Relatives of the victims shared their grief and disbelief during the trial. The mother of the youngest victim, a 25-year-old woman who died in 2021, testified that her daughter had never expressed a wish to die. The son of a 72-year-old woman who died in 2024 stated that his mother had future plans and a desire to continue living.
Following his prison sentence, the court ordered the doctor to be placed in preventive detention. He has also been banned from practicing medicine for life.