Roger Andermatt

{{Infobox serial killer

| name = Roger Andermatt

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| alt =

| birth_name =

| alias = The Death-Keeper of Lucerne

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1969}}

| birth_place = Lucerne, Switzerland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| cause =

| conviction = Murder

| sentence = Life imprisonment

| victims = 22

| beginyear = 1995

| endyear = 2001

| country = Switzerland

| states =

| apprehended =

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}}

Roger Andermatt (born 1969), known as The Death-Keeper of Lucerne, is a Swiss serial killer. With 22 claimed victims between 1995 and 2001, he is the most prolific serial killer in Swiss criminal history.

Life

Andermatt worked as a nurse in various retirement homes in central Switzerland, including the Eichhof retirement home in Lucerne. All his victims were in need of care. The murders were noticed by an accumulation of deaths in certain homes. The victims in question's bodies were exhumed and autopsied in 2001. Andermatt was also known as a dance teacher and a DJ by the name "R.O-Gee".[http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/artikel2645 Detailbericht in der Zeitung Blick]

Andermatt was convicted on 28 January 2005, by the Lucerne Criminal Court for murder in 22 cases, attempted murder in three cases and unfinished murder in two cases with resignation and life imprisonment. Thus, the court's punishment was above the prosecutor's request, and, in particular, did not follow the line of defense (killing out of sympathy).[http://news.search.ch/inland/2005-01-21/prozess-gegen-todespfleger-von-luzern Prozess Gegen Todespfleger von Luzern] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130117112026/http://news.search.ch/inland/2005-01-21/prozess-gegen-todespfleger-von-luzern# |date=2013-01-17 }} at news.search.ch, 21 January 2005

On 15 February 2006, the sentence was upheld at a second hearing. The Lucerne High Court convicted Andermatt but only in seven murder cases. The remaining 15 cases were classified as deliberate killings. There are also three completed and two unfinished killing attempts.[http://www.nzz.ch/aktuell/startseite/articleDL2GQ-1.11845 Es bleibt bei lebenslänglich für den «Todespfleger».] In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from February 16, 2006 Owing to the high number of victims, the court decided to sentence Andermatt to life imprisonment.[http://www.tagesschau.sf.tv/Nachrichten/Archiv/2006/02/15/Schweiz/Lebenslange-Zuchthausstrafe-fuer-Todespfleger-bestaetigt SF Tagesschau] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312060816/http://www.tagesschau.sf.tv/Nachrichten/Archiv/2006/02/15/Schweiz/Lebenslange-Zuchthausstrafe-fuer-Todespfleger-bestaetigt# |date=2011-03-12 }} at www.tagesschau.sf.tv, February 15, 2006.

Andermatt confessed to the murders, but claims to have acted out of compassion. He also complained that he and the nursing team had been overwhelmed.