A former hospital nurse in Wuerselen, Germany, has been sentenced to life in prison after a court found him guilty of killing 10 patients and attempting to murder 27 others. Prosecutors revealed he injected elderly patients with heavy doses of painkillers and sedatives like morphine and midazolam to lighten his workload during overnight shifts.
The 44-year-old man, who has not been publicly named, began training as a nurse in 2007, before working at a Wuerselen hospital in 2020, where the crimes allegedly took place. He reportedly showed little patience for high-need patients. Prosecutors said he treated his role as if he had control over life and death.
The crimes took place between December 2023 and May 2024. He was arrested earlier this year, and investigators have since opened additional cases involving potential victims. Some bodies are today being exhumed as part of the expanded investigation.
The court labeled his crimes as having a “particular severity of guilt,” which bars him from early parole. However, he still has the right to appeal the ruling.
This disturbing case is reminiscent of Niels Högel, a former nurse convicted in 2019 of killing 85 patients.
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