A palliative-care nurse from Wuerselen, in western Germany, has been handed a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering ten patients and attempting to kill twenty-seven others.
The court ruled that his actions showed an extreme level of guilt, which means he cannot be considered for early release after fifteen years. Although he received the maximum sentence, he still has the right to appeal.
Investigators said the nurse injected mostly elderly patients with heavy painkillers and sedatives during overnight shifts. He was allegedly trying to reduce the amount of care work he had to perform.
The incidents took place between December 2023 and May 2024 at the hospital where he had worked since 2020. Prosecutors described his behaviour as cold and detached, saying he grew irritated with patients who needed more attention, acting as though he controlled who lived or died.
In court, it was revealed that he administered large doses of morphine and midazolam to numerous patients, leaving many of them unable to survive the effects.
He was arrested in 2024, and authorities have begun exhuming bodies to determine whether more victims may be linked to him. If additional evidence is found, he could face further trials.
The shocking case has reminded many in Germany of another notorious hospital killer, a former nurse who received a life sentence in 2019 for murdering dozens of patients over several years.
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