A French anaesthetist known as "Doctor Death" has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars for the calculated murder of a dozen patients, which prosecutors said was driven by a desire for power.
A Thirst for Power Leads to Murder
Frederic Pechier, 53, was convicted at a criminal court in Doubs, near the France-Switzerland border, on Thursday, 18th December 2025. The court heard how he used poison to kill 12 people under his care. Prosecutors successfully argued that he had attacked at least 30 individuals in total, describing him in the starkest terms as "a poisoner and a murderer".
The Shocking Scale of the Crimes
The prosecution's case painted a picture of a medical professional who betrayed the fundamental trust of his patients. Instead of safeguarding their lives during surgery, he deliberately administered lethal substances. His motive, according to the authorities, was to "feed his thirst for power", potentially by creating medical emergencies he could then resolve to appear heroic.
The scale of the alleged attacks—targeting at least 30 people—suggests a prolonged period of offending that sent shockwaves through the French medical community and the nation.
Justice Served with a Life Term
The sentence of life imprisonment delivers a definitive conclusion to one of France's most disturbing medical murder cases. It marks the end of a lengthy legal process to hold Pechier accountable for the deaths he caused.
The case raises profound questions about medical oversight and the psychological vetting of professionals in positions of extreme trust. For the families of the 12 murdered patients, the life sentence offers a form of justice, though it cannot undo their loss.
