German doctor accused of killing 15 patients

The doctor, identified by German media as Johannes M., is charged with killing 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024. Prosecutors allege that he administered fatal doses of sedative cocktails during home visits under the guise of providing medical care.

According to the prosecution, the sedatives paralyzed the victims’ respiratory muscles, causing them to suffer respiratory arrest and die within minutes.

In five of the alleged murders, Johannes M. is accused of setting fire to the victims’ residences shortly after administering the lethal injections, apparently in an attempt to cover his tracks. In one case, he is believed to have killed two patients on the same day.

“He acted with complete disregard for human life and played the role of master over life and death,” said chief prosecutor Philipp Mayhöfer during the opening of the trial.

According to efsyn, the investigation began last July when a colleague raised concerns about the unusually high number of patients who had died in fires shortly after visits from the accused. Johannes M. was arrested in August 2024. Initially linked to four deaths, further inquiries revealed additional suspicious cases.

By April 2025, prosecutors had charged him with 15 counts of murder and five counts of arson. They claim he had no financial or personal motive, other than the act of killing itself.

The prosecution is seeking a life sentence, calling the acts "premeditated and cruel." The trial is expected to draw significant public attention in Germany and beyond, as investigators continue to examine whether more victims may be linked to the case.