German killer nurse probed over 139 more cases

German prosecutors are investigating 139 further cases that could be linked to a palliative care nurse already jailed for murdering 10 patients.

The man, partially identified by German media as Ulrich S., worked at a hospital in Wuerselen near Aachen. He was sentenced to life in prison in November after being convicted of 10 murders and 27 attempted murders.

Prosecutors in the earlier trial said he injected mostly elderly patients with large doses of sedatives or painkillers to reduce his workload during night shifts.

Aachen prosecutors now say they are looking at 121 cases they think could be linked to him, covering incidents going back to September 2022. Almost 40 bodies have been exhumed, and new charges could be filed next year.

Prosecutors in Cologne are investigating 18 further cases, the earliest dating from 2010. German media reported that the nurse is believed to have worked at a clinic in Cologne before the Wuerselen hospital.

At sentencing, the court found a particular severity of guilt, a decision that should bar early release after 15 years, which is normally possible in such cases.