The 28-year-old said he merely witnessed the killing of the 30-year-old. He instead accused the 22-year-old second defendant, in whose apartment the crime took place. He has not yet spoken.
The facts in the case are clear: The 30-year-old was strangled on the night of March 3, 2022; according to the report, great intensity had to be used for this. The two men then put the body in the back seat of the 22-year-old’s car and drove for hours through Vorarlberg. In the evening, the 28-year-old left the woman in a reed ditch in Lustenau – allegedly at the behest of the 22-year-old. It is also undisputed that a lot of alcohol was consumed and drugs were consumed on the night of the crime. The couple changed apartments several times, and in between they refilled their tanks with alcohol. However, what is said to have happened in relation to the death of the 30-year-old was described completely differently by the public prosecutor’s office and the 28-year-old.
Disturbance of the peace of the dead
In his statement, public prosecutor Markus Fussenegger pointed out the 28-year-old’s debts to the murder victim. The 30-year-old had allegedly lent her boyfriend and former lover 15,000 euros, which the 28-year-old paid off in 400-euro installments. There had been an argument about this – but the defendant denied this. In addition, mixed DNA traces were found under the dead woman’s fingernails that matched the 28-year-old. The first defendant said that the DNA transfer had most likely occurred when the body was laid down. “Rigor mortis had already set in,” he said. The 28-year-old stressed that he was not a violent person.
While the first defendant is accused of murder, defamation and disturbing the peace of the dead, the 22-year-old is charged with failing to prevent a punishable act and also disturbing the peace of the dead. Shortly after suspicion fell on the two men, he testified against the 28-year-old and accused him of murder. The older man, in turn, testified that the younger man was “on edge” the whole time on the night of the crime. It was allegedly about a drug deal with an acquaintance in which “something still needed to be cleared up”. When the 30-year-old provoked him with a flippant sentence, the 22-year-old freaked out and jumped at her neck. He choked her until she gave no more signs of life.
Verdicts expected on Wednesday evening
According to the prosecutor, during the investigation the 22-year-old justified his behavior after the killing of the woman by saying that he was afraid of the 28-year-old and therefore went along with it. The older man justified himself in exactly the same way. He said he had simply more or less obeyed the 22-year-old. He knew that he had behaved incorrectly. “I just couldn’t think clearly.”
The 22-year-old was questioned in the afternoon. Forensic psychiatrist Reinhard Haller will also be available to provide information. The verdicts will not be announced until Wednesday evening. Before that, the expert opinions of forensic pathologists Walter Rabl and Petra Hatzer-Grubwieser are scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday. If convicted, the 28-year-old faces a prison sentence of ten to 20 years or life imprisonment. The 22-year-old could have to spend up to two years in prison for disturbing the peace of the dead – he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
This article was last updated on July 30, 2024 at 1:25 p.m.
(SERVICE – In Austria, women who experience violence can find help and information from the Women’s Helpline on: 0800-222-555, www.frauenhelpline.at; from the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters (AÖF) on www.aoef.at as well as from the Women’s Shelter Emergency Number on 057722 and the Austrian Violence Protection Centers: 0800/700-217; Police Emergency Number: 133)
