- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 06 Nov 2025 06:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Germany has been left in shock after a palliative care nurse was convicted on Wednesday of murdering 10 elderly patients with lethal injections and attempting to kill 27 others in a disturbing scheme to reduce his night-shift workload. A court in Aachen handed the nurse a life sentence, describing his crimes as “particularly severe,” a classification that makes any chance of parole after the standard 15-year minimum extremely unlikely.
According to prosecutors, the nurse, who worked at a clinic near Aachen in western Germany, deliberately administered overdoses of painkillers and sedatives between December 2023 and May 2024. Investigators argue his motive was chillingly simple: fewer conscious patients meant fewer responsibilities during night duty. The court confirmed he displayed no signs of compassion, remorse, or moral conflict.
A Dark Pattern In German Healthcare
The case has triggered comparisons with past German medical murder scandals. It echoes the infamous crimes of Niels Högel, convicted in 2019 for murdering at least 85 patients with lethal drugs between 2000 and 2005, making him modern Germany’s most prolific serial killer. Prosecutors say the latest case also bears resemblance to the ongoing trial of Berlin palliative specialist Johannes M, accused of killing 15 patients between 2021 and 2024.
Investigation Expands Across Multiple Hospitals
German authorities have since exhumed several bodies associated with the convicted nurse’s past work history, suggesting the death toll may rise. Investigators are examining records from previous medical facilities where he was employed, raising fears that his killing spree could stretch far beyond current charges.
During the trial, prosecutors described the defendant as a man gripped by narcissistic personality traits and emotional detachment. They argued he viewed himself as a “master of life and death,” exploiting terminally ill patients who were too fragile to raise an alarm. Many victims, they noted, still had meaningful life goals despite their serious conditions.
“He worked in a profession he never wanted to work in,” prosecutor Marius Saalmann told the court. “He could not bear caring for patients at the palliative station, and so he gave them overdoses,” Saalmann added that the nurse fully understood the fatal consequences of his actions.
Defence Denies Murder Allegations
The defence painted a drastically different portrait, insisting the patients’ deaths were due to existing cancers and heart diseases. They argued the injections were intended simply to help them sleep more comfortably.
In his final statement, the 44-year-old defendant maintained his innocence: “I wanted to do something good. Sleep is the best medicine.”