German palliative doctor sentenced to life for murdering 15 patients

A Berlin court has sentenced a 41-year-old palliative care doctor to life in prison for the premeditated murder of 15 patients, with a lifetime ban from practicing medicine. The judge described the defendant, identified as Johannes M., as a "serial killer" and emphasized that the victims, though gravely ill, wanted to live Source: Infobae.

The verdict

The Regional Court of Berlin found Johannes M. guilty of killing 12 women and 3 men aged 25 to 94 between September 2021 and July 2024 Source: ABC. All were under his care but not terminally ill. The court imposed the maximum penalty under German law, including preventive detention and a permanent professional ban Source: El Caribe. Judge Sylvia Busch stated the crimes "have nothing to do with palliative care or euthanasia" Source: Diario Libre.

Modus operandi

Johannes M. administered lethal combinations of sedatives and muscle relaxants during home visits, causing respiratory paralysis and death within minutes Source: Diario Libre. In at least five cases, he attempted to set fire to victims' homes to destroy evidence Source: La Voz. He confessed to 12 murders in June, apologizing and claiming he believed he was relieving suffering Source: Hoy.

Ongoing investigation

Prosecutors are investigating an additional 76 suspicious deaths linked to the doctor, which could make him Germany's deadliest serial killer Source: Hoy. The court noted he told his wife he had been killing for a long time Source: Infobae. Families of victims rejected his stated motives, testifying that their loved ones wanted to live Source: La Voz.