A German palliative care doctor* has been accused of killing 15 of his patients using a deadly mixture of drugs.

Palliative care* - a special type of medical care provided to people with serious, chronic or incurable illnesses, with the aim of relieving pain and symptoms, as well as improving the quality of life.

Prosecutors in Berlin have accused the 40-year-old of setting fire to the homes of some of the suspected victims in order to cover his tracks.

He is suspected of killing 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024, however prosecutors have stated that they believe the number of victims could increase.

The doctor, whose name has not been made public due to strict privacy laws in Germany, has denied the charges, according to the prosecution.

He is accused of giving his patients, without their knowledge or consent, an anesthetic drug and a muscle relaxant. According to the prosecution, the muscle relaxant "paralyzed the respiratory muscles, causing respiratory arrest and death within minutes."

The doctor worked in several German cities and the suspected victims range in age from 25 to 94.

He is also accused of setting fires in the apartments of suspected victims on five different occasions, in order to destroy evidence of the crime.

He is also accused of murdering two patients in a single day in July 2024 - a 75-year-old man in his Berlin home and a 76-year-old woman in a neighboring neighborhood just hours later.

Prosecutors said the doctor attempted to burn down the woman's house but failed. "When he realized the fire had not broken out, he reportedly notified a relative of the victim, claiming he was standing in front of her apartment and no one was answering the doorbell."

The doctor was initially suspected of four murders when he was arrested in August 2024, but further investigations revealed other deaths and exhumations of other suspected victims are planned, meaning the number of suspected murders could rise.

The prosecution is requesting that the 40-year-old be “forever banned from practicing his profession” and not released for at least 15 years. He is still in custody.

Sources: Deutsche Welle, BBC