Overview

• Prosecutors in Berlin have charged a doctor with 15 counts of murder for allegedly killing palliative care patients between 2021 and 2024 through unauthorized lethal drug injections.
• The accused reportedly used a combination of an anesthetic and a muscle relaxant, causing rapid respiratory arrest and death within minutes, without the patients' consent or medical necessity.
• The doctor, in custody since August 2024, allegedly attempted to conceal his crimes by setting fires in victims' homes, which initially drew police attention to the deaths.
• Investigators are reviewing hundreds of additional cases, with 75 deaths still under examination, suggesting the death toll could rise beyond the 15 confirmed victims.
• The victims' ages reportedly ranged from 25 to 94, and prosecutors are seeking a life sentence with severe guilt designation and a permanent professional ban for the accused.