Monday, July 20, 2026

‘I killed my patients to save them from suffering,’ says doctor who murdered 15 people

He admitted before the court that he killed his patients to save them from “suffering and infirmity”.

• July 9, 2026
Image used to illustrate the story

A palliative care doctor has been sentenced to prison in Germany for killing 15 patients.

During the sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Sylvia Busch said the conviction for 15 murders could reveal other crimes the doctor had committed.

The palliative care doctor, simply identified as Johannes M, 41, was found guilty of murdering his patients, 12 women and three men.

A court in Berlin found Dr Johannes guilty of murdering 12 women and 3 men between September 2021 and July 2024.

During his trial last month, the doctor confessed to having “killed people”.

He admitted before the court that he killed his patients to save them from “suffering and infirmity”.

The doctor added, “Throughout it all, I thought this was the best thing for everyone.”

Prosecutors are now investigating other cases involving the doctor, noting that he injected his patients with lethal sedatives and a combination of various medicines without their consent.

After killing his patients, he often set fires to cover his tracks. Prosecutors said he killed two patients in a single day in July 2024.

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