BERLIN — A court in Berlin sentenced Johannes M., a 41-year-old palliative care doctor, to life imprisonment for murdering 15 patients. He was found guilty of murdering 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024.

Prosecutors stated that Mr. M. administered a lethal combination of medicines, including an anesthetic and a muscle relaxant, without patient consent during home visits. This drug combination paralyzed respiratory muscles, leading to respiratory arrest and death within minutes. The court found that the victims were critically ill but their deaths were not imminent. Prosecutors also stated that Mr. M. set fires on several occasions to cover his tracks.

On July 8, 2024, Mr. M. allegedly killed a 75-year-old man at his home in central Berlin. A few hours later on the same day, he allegedly killed a 76-year-old woman in a neighboring district of Berlin. Prosecutors stated that he attempted to set fire to the woman's house but failed. Mr. M. was taken into custody in August 2024.

The victims were between the ages of 25 and 94. The mother of a 25-year-old victim who died in 2021 stated, "She never said she didn't want to live anymore."

Mr. M. confessed last month to killing twelve of his severely ill patients. He told the court that "Throughout it all, I thought this was the best thing for everyone." He also stated he had convinced himself he was sparing patients "suffering and infirmity." He apologized to the court for the suffering he caused.

Presiding Judge Sylvia Busch stated that the conviction for 15 murders may be only a glimpse of many crimes. The court ordered preventive detention for Mr. M. following his prison sentence and imposed a lifetime ban on him practicing medicine.

Prosecutors are currently investigating 76 other cases involving Mr. M. A special investigation team initially investigated 395 cases related to him, with initial suspicion confirmed in 95 of those investigated cases.