A 39-year-old palliative care doctor in Berlin has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in four cases and arson.

The doctor is accused of killing four female patients, aged between 72 and 94, while working for a nursing service between June 11 and July 24, 2024.

The first victim, an 87-year-old woman, was allegedly killed on June 11 in Neukölln, and the suspect attempted to set her apartment on fire afterward.

On July 8, the suspect is accused of killing a 76-year-old woman in her Neukölln apartment, where his attempt to start a fire failed.

Further alleged killings involved women aged 72 and 94 on July 15 and July 24, respectively.

On July 24, he is accused of killing a 72-year-old woman in Plänterwald and igniting a fire in her apartment.

Authorities claim the doctor attempted to cover up the murders by setting fires at the victims' homes.

The victims lived in multi-family buildings, affecting other residents, some of whom were injured in the fires.

The prosecution has not disclosed the motive behind the alleged crimes, nor the details that led to the arrest.

The police stated that the man has been in pre-trial detention since August 6, facing charges of manslaughter and multiple counts of attempted aggravated arson.

The investigation is being conducted by the homicide squad and the Berlin public prosecutor's office.

This incident follows a previous case where a former cardiologist was convicted of killing two critically ill patients with overdosed medication in 2021 and 2022.