DELMENHORST — 2005 · Serial Murder
Oldenburg–Delmenhorst Patient Murders
Former nurse Niels Högel killed patients in the intensive care units of two hospitals in Oldenburg and Delmenhorst between 2000 and 2005 by administering lethal medication, often, investigators found, in order to then attempt a 'heroic' resuscitation. He was caught in the act in Delmenhorst in June 2005. Early trials convicted him of attempted murder and several murders, followed by a sweeping investigation that involved exhuming hundreds of bodies. On 6 June 2019 the Oldenburg Regional Court sentenced him to life for 85 murders. The case is recorded as the largest murder series in post-war Germany and exposed failures of hospital oversight.
- Date
- 2005
- Place
- Lower Saxony, Germany, Delmenhorst, DE
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 53.0508, 8.6317 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1999–2002An unusual rise in deaths was noticed in the Oldenburg clinic's ICU.
- June 2005The nurse was caught in the act at Delmenhorst hospital.
- 2008He was jailed for attempted murder.
- 2015He was sentenced to life for two murders; a wider investigation expanded.
- 6 June 2019The Oldenburg court gave him life for 85 murders.
Sources
- NBC News — German nurse sentenced to life for murdering 85 patients nbcnews.com ↗
- Deutsches Ärzteblatt — Urteil gegen Patientenmörder Högel rechtskräftig aerzteblatt.de ↗
- Wikipedia — Niels Högel en.wikipedia.org ↗
- NBC News
- Deutsches Ärzteblatt
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.