Murder investigation in Cologne clinic - Nurse who allegedly murdered new people in Würselen was also conspicuous in Cologne

Cologne. (ots) – The investigation against the nurse alleged to have murdered nine people in the palliative care unit of the Rhein-Maas Clinic in Würselen has been expanded to include the Cologne-Merheim Hospital. Ulrich Bremer, spokesperson for the Cologne Public Prosecutor's Office, confirmed this in response to an inquiry from the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger" (three-day edition). According to current findings, the accused worked at the municipal clinic from April 2010 to January 2011 and from February 2014 to September 2020. "As far as these periods are concerned, we have taken over the investigation from the Aachen Public Prosecutor's Office due to jurisdiction," Bremer said. "We are currently in the process of comprehensively evaluating the files sent to us in order to then take the next steps in the investigation together with Criminal Investigation Department 11 of the Cologne Police." The 44-year-old is alleged to have unauthorizedly injected patients in the palliative care unit of the hospital in Würselen with highly sedative medications, sometimes in combination with painkillers. After being arrested in June 2024, he is currently being tried in the Aachen Regional Court not only for nine counts of murder, but also for 34 further attempted murders. The defendant also attracted attention in Cologne for his unusual handling of narcotics. In 2019, a nursing assistant raised the alarm in a letter to the nursing management of the Merheim hospital. The current defendant had given some patients sleeping pills so that he could have peace and quiet. "Even to patients for whom this was expressly prohibited," the young woman emphasized in an interview with the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger." René Hartmann, spokesperson for the municipal hospitals in Cologne, told the newspaper that they did not want to comment in detail due to the "ongoing proceedings." However, "the serious allegations against the accused" are being taken "extremely seriously." We are working closely with the authorities. "The safety and well-being of our patients are our highest priority," Hartmann emphasized. "Therefore, we are very grateful to the investigating authorities for their work and will continue to provide them with all the necessary information to enable a comprehensive investigation." Press contact: Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger Newsdesk Phone: +49 221 224 2080 Original content from: Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, transmitted by news aktuell Original report: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/66749/6040583