MONSTER

Niels Högel: German Nurse Admits to Murdering 100 Patients

Investigators say he may have killed even more.

A German nurse has admitted to murdering 100 patients, which, if convicted, would make him the country’s worst post-war serial killer. Detectives say Niels Högel, 41, gave fatal doses of medicine to his patients at two hospitals in northern Germany and the true number of victims may never be known. Högel’s motive was to impress colleagues by trying to resuscitate the patients he had attacked, detectives said. Högel is already serving a life term for killing people in his care and the latest trial came about after toxicology tests linked him to dozens more alleged murders. As the proceedings opened in the city of Oldenburg, the presiding judge, Sebastian Buehrmann, asked whether the charges against him were accurate. Hoegel replied “yes,” adding: “What I have admitted took place.” The courtroom was crowded with dozens of grieving relatives.