German nurse accused of killing patients to make time at work easier

A male nurse accused of multiple murders and attempted murders at a palliative care clinic in western Germany - apparently to make his time at work easier - is alleged to have committed even more crimes, according to a court spokeswoman, reported dpa.

A supplementary indictment has been filed with the regional court in the German city of Aachen, stating that prosecutors believe the nurse murdered four more patients and attempted to do so in nine other cases all within a few months.

The 44-year-old German man is now accused of a total of nine murders and 34 attempted murders by overdosing his victims with painkillers or sedatives.

The motive is thought to have been that the man wanted quiet night shifts and minimal effort with the patients. In some cases, the nurse allegedly made multiple attempts to kill certain patients.

All the offences are alleged to have been committed between December 2023 and May 2024.

The man's trial for the initial 30 charges is scheduled to begin on 24. These include five alleged murders and 25 attempted murders. It has not yet been decided whether the newly charged cases will be included in this trial, the court spokeswoman said.