A palliative care doctor in Germany has been charged with the murder of at least 15 people, with authorities concerned that there may be additional victims. Johannes M., a 40-year-old physician based in Berlin, was initially arrested in August of the previous year on suspicion of killing four patients. However, as investigations have advanced, the number of suspected victims has continued to grow. It started with eight, then ten, and now stands at 15.
The doctor’s alleged killing spree is believed to have started in 2021, when he reportedly administered a lethal cocktail of drugs to a 25-year-old female patient. Investigators claim that Johannes M. repeated this practice multiple times over the course of three years, killing as many as 15 people before his arrest. His victims were not in the terminal phase of their illnesses at the time of their deaths, which has raised alarm among authorities.
Working in a palliative care unit, Johannes M. was tasked with alleviating the pain of severely ill and terminally ill patients. However, none of the suspected victims were in the acute phase of death, according to prosecutors. It is alleged that the doctor used his position to gain access to his patients and carried out the murders by administering an anaesthetic without their consent, followed by a lethal concoction of drugs, including a muscle relaxant. This combination is said to have caused their deaths.
Additionally, Johannes M. is accused of committing arson in an attempt to cover his tracks. Several of his suspected victims’ properties were set on fire, leading investigators to initially believe the deaths were the result of arson. The fires, which appeared to be accidental at first, raised suspicion, prompting authorities to investigate further.
The breakthrough in the case came in the summer of 2024, when police were alerted after fires occurred at the properties of victims who had been under the doctor’s care. These incidents eventually led the authorities to uncover the true nature of the killings. A tip from a nursing service associated with the doctor provided crucial information, which helped investigators connect the dots and expand the scope of their inquiry.
As the case progressed, a special investigative team was formed within the Berlin State Criminal Police Office to further probe the doctor’s actions. Forensic pathologists exhumed several bodies of patients who had passed away under his care, revealing that many had died from unnatural causes. This discovery has prompted authorities to look more closely at the doctor’s patient records in order to determine the full extent of his alleged crimes.
The Berlin Regional Court is set to hear the case, and prosecutors are seeking a lifelong professional ban for Johannes M. in addition to any potential criminal sentences. Initially, prosecutors speculated that the doctor’s crimes were motivated by a “lust for murder,” though this claim was later revised. Investigations have shown that the doctor’s alleged victims were all patients under his care in the palliative unit, and no evidence has yet been found suggesting that he targeted individuals outside this group.
As the investigation continues, the true scale of the doctor’s actions remains unclear, and authorities are working diligently to uncover the full extent of the tragedy. The case has raised serious questions about the trust placed in medical professionals and the vulnerability of patients in palliative care.
