Berlin, Germany – A palliative care doctor in Berlin faces charges of murdering 15 patients by administering a lethal cocktail of drugs. Prosecutors have accused the 40-year-old doctor of setting fire to the homes of some victims in an attempt to cover up the crimes. The victims, 12 women and 3 men, were allegedly killed between September 2021 and July 2024, with the possibility of more victims emerging.

The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed due to privacy laws, has not admitted to the charges brought against him. It is alleged that the doctor administered a combination of an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant to patients without their knowledge or consent. Prosecutors state that this led to respiratory arrest and death within minutes for the victims.

The doctor worked in various German states, and the ages of the suspicious deaths range from 25 to 94 years old. Additionally, it is claimed that the suspect attempted to conceal the murders by setting fire to the victims’ residences on multiple occasions. In one instance, he is accused of killing two patients in a single day, firstly a 75-year-old man and then a 76-year-old woman a few hours later in a neighboring district.

Authorities indicate that the suspect also made unsuccessful attempts to set fire to the woman’s home to cover up the crime. Upon failing, he allegedly informed a relative of the woman, falsely claiming to be outside her apartment without response. Initially, the doctor was arrested on suspicion of killing four patients but further investigations have revealed more suspicious deaths, leading to plans for additional exhumations.

The prosecution is seeking a “lifelong professional ban” and “preventative detention” for the 40-year-old suspect, who remains in custody. The case continues to unfold as more information is gathered about the alleged murders committed by the palliative care doctor in Berlin.