'Lust for murder': Doctor charged with killing 15 patients in Berlin

A 40-year-old Berlin doctor has been charged with the murder of 15 palliative care patients, German prosecutors said on Wednesday, alleging that he acted out of a “lust for killing” and attempted to conceal his crimes by starting fires in the victims’ homes.

The doctor, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed in line with German privacy laws but is referred to in the media as Johannes M., worked for a nursing service that provided end-of-life care.

Prosecutors say he administered lethal doses of an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant without the patients’ knowledge or consent, causing respiratory arrest and death within minutes.

The victims, aged between 25 and 94, died between September 2021 and July 2023, with most passing away in their own homes. The case initially involved the suspicious deaths of four patients, but investigators say that number has steadily risen, reaching 15 as of this week.

The Berlin public prosecutor’s office stated that the suspect “had no motive beyond killing,” and that his actions meet the legal threshold for what German law describes as “murder for lust.”

The accused has been in custody since 6 August 2024 and has not yet responded to the charges. Prosecutors have submitted the case to the Berlin state court, which must now determine whether to proceed to trial. If convicted, the doctor faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Prosecutors said they will seek a court ruling declaring “particularly severe guilt,” which would make the suspect ineligible for parole after the standard 15-year term. They are also requesting a permanent ban on his ability to practise medicine.

The issue has also gained international attention following the case of Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse in England, who was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder six others. That case has continued to raise questions about medical oversight and the reliability of forensic evidence used in prosecutions.

German authorities have not announced a timeline for the Berlin trial.