Johann Breyer, accused Nazi living in Philly, dies while judge orders extradition

PHILADELPHIA, July 23 (UPI) -- A Philadelphia man accused of aiding Nazi war crimes while he was a prison guard at Auschwitz died Wednesday, just hours after a judge ordered his extradition to Germany.

Investigators allege Johann Breyer joined the Waffen SS when he was 17-years-old, and was posted as a guard at Auschwitz II-Birkenau where he assisted in the systematic murder of over 200,000 Jewish prisoners during WWII.

Johann Breyer (JanPaul Breuer, John Breyer) is a murderer and a liar. Put him to trial. Néver too old, never too ill. pic.twitter.com/6JTLU7IcL8

— J.Official (@MijnGetweet) June 22, 2014

On Wednesday morning, U.S. Magistrate Timothy Rice ordered Breyer's extradition to Germany, writing, "Given Breyer's role as an elite SS armed guard at a camp designed and operated almost exclusively as a killing center for Jews, Germany has established probable cause of Breyer's complicity in the mass murders at Auschwitz."

"No statute of limitations offers a safe haven for murder."

But what Rice didn't know as he wrote the yet-to-be-approved extradition order, was that Breyer had just died. According to his attorney Dennis Boyle, the 89-year-old passed away Tuesday night at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in downtown Philadelphia.