Overview

• Johannes M., 40, faces 15 murder charges after prosecutors say he injected palliative care patients with an anesthetic and muscle relaxant that caused respiratory arrest
• Investigators allege he set fires at five victims’ homes to destroy evidence, a pattern first flagged by a coworker when multiple patient deaths occurred in blazes last July
• Berlin’s regional court has scheduled 35 hearing dates through January 2026 and could hear testimony from around 150 witnesses, including relatives of the deceased
• A psychiatric expert will observe the defendant in court and review witness statements to assess his personality and level of culpability
• Separate proceedings by the Berlin prosecutor’s office and homicide department are probing nearly 100 additional suspicious deaths, including that of his mother-in-law