BERLIN, April 16 — A palliative care doctor in Berlin has been formally charged with the murder of 15 patients, with prosecutors alleging he also set fire to some of their homes in an attempt to destroy evidence.
BERLIN, April 16 — A palliative care doctor in Berlin has been formally charged with the murder of 15 patients, with prosecutors alleging he also set fire to some of their homes in an attempt to destroy evidence.
According to a statement by the Berlin public prosecutor’s office on Wednesday, the 40-year-old physician is accused of killing 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024 by administering a lethal mix of drugs.
Authorities said the suspect used an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant without the patients’ knowledge or consent. The muscle relaxant reportedly caused paralysis of the respiratory muscles, leading to death by respiratory arrest within minutes.
All the victims, aged between 25 and 94, were under his care at the time of their deaths. In five cases, prosecutors said the doctor allegedly set the victims’ homes on fire to cover up the killings.
One particularly disturbing incident occurred on July 8, 2024, when he allegedly murdered a 75-year-old man in Kreuzberg in the morning, followed just hours later by the killing of a 76-year-old woman in nearby Neukoelln. His attempt to torch the woman’s home reportedly failed when the fire did not ignite. He then allegedly contacted one of her relatives, claiming he had received no response after ringing her doorbell.
Prosecutors are seeking a lifetime professional ban and preventive detention to prevent any further crimes. The suspect has been in custody since his arrest in August last year. Initially, he was charged with four murders, but the number has since increased as investigations progressed. — AFP
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