Berlin Doctor Suspected of Killing Eight Elderly Patients, Setting Fires to Cover Up Crimes
A 40-year-old doctor in Berlin, Germany is being held in custody on suspicion of killing eight elderly patients under his care and setting some of their homes on fire to conceal the crimes. The doctor, who worked in palliative care for an at-home nursing service, is accused of targeting patients aged 61 to 94.
Prosecutors in Berlin have now linked the suspect to four new cases, in addition to four previously reported deaths of women aged 72 to 94. The accused is suspected of administering a cocktail of medications to the victims, followed by setting fires to destroy evidence.
The motive for the alleged killings appears to be simply the act of killing itself, with the suspect being driven by a “lust for murder.” This compares to the case of Niels Hoegel, a German nurse who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 85 patients in his care between 2000 and 2005.
In one of the new cases, the suspect is accused of administering a lethal medication cocktail to a 70-year-old woman in her apartment, starting a fire that was eventually put out by the fire department. The suspect is also suspected of killing two men, aged 70 and 83, and a 61-year-old woman.
The case is a stark reminder of the danger posed by some healthcare professionals, and the need for greater vigilance in monitoring their actions.
