The trial of a palliative care specialist accused of murdering 15 patients began today in Berlin. Prosecutors allege the 40-year-old doctor, detained since last August, killed his victims by administering excessive doses of sedatives and, in some instances, set fires to conceal his crimes. The defendant remained silent when the charges were read in court.
According to German news agency DPA, prosecutors detailed one specific incident: on September 5, 2022, the doctor allegedly administered an anesthetic and muscle relaxant to a physically weakened 56-year-old woman in her apartment without medical justification. Fearing discovery, he then allegedly called emergency services, claiming he had found the woman unconscious. Resuscitation efforts by paramedics succeeded, and she was hospitalized.
Prosecutors further allege the doctor resorted to arson to hide his actions in several cases. Police investigations into suspicious fires initially treated as arson ultimately focused on the physician. The case has the potential to become one of the worst serial killings in German history, potentially surpassing the 2019 conviction of a nurse for murdering 85 patients. Prosecutors are actively investigating seventy-one additional cases that could lead to further charges.
The trial, scheduled for 35 hearings through January 28, 2026, involves thirteen relatives of the deceased as co-plaintiffs. Approximately 150 witnesses are expected to testify.