A 24-year-old Carinthian allegedly strangled his 22-year-old girlfriend in Hohentauern on May 4. Then he caused an accident because he wanted to commit suicide. He had to appear in court on Monday on suspicion of murder. He confessed.
How is that possible? Many people ask themselves this question after the terrible act. During interrogation, the man admitted that he killed the 22-year-old because she was cheating on him. A verdict is expected this afternoon.
The trained chimney sweep and the young woman had known each other since childhood in Carinthia. In 2021 they became a couple and he moved with her and her family to Upper Styria, where the family ran an inn together. The 22-year-old was reportedly separated from him a few days before May 4, but since he worked as a cook for the family, he still lived with her.
Divorce, yes or no?
In court, the 24-year-old denied that they were divorced. They had reconciled, he assured. On the eve of the crime, the two got into an argument. But he doesn’t remember what it was about. Judge Armin Scheck said such “selective memory loss was not plausible” because the 24-year-old could now remember many other details.
After his accident, the suspect was in an artificial deep sleep for several weeks, during which he suffered very serious head injuries. For a long time it was not clear whether he would survive at all. His lawyer said his memory of the incidents in the couple’s shared apartment only gradually returned and tried to explain her client’s conflicting statements.
The chairman doubts whether the couple had reconciled before the 22-year-old’s death: “You sent your sister a WhatsApp message on May 3 saying that it was over and that private and business matters were now separate. This is evident from the analysis of your mobile phone.” The suspects insisted that they had made amends and were therefore not separated.
With a fist in the face
He initially described the event calmly: “We were in the living room and there was an argument and a scuffle.” She hit him in the face with her fist. So she couldn’t hit him again, he grabbed her, turned her around and put his arm around her neck from behind. Then he fell back with her, only releasing the pressure on her neck when she stopped moving.
He then felt her pulse: ‘I didn’t call the emergency services because I knew she was dead. It was like in the movies. I didn’t realize it.” Hours later, he got into the car of his ex-girlfriend’s mother and drove into a guardrail, according to prosecutor Viktoria Steinecker. She spoke of a “suicide trip”. The suspect, on the other hand, stated that he looked at his cell phone while driving and caused an accident.
The confession only came after discussion
At the beginning of the trial, the suspect insisted that the killing was not intentional, and therefore he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. “I just wanted to be left alone.” After being questioned for over an hour and after consulting with his lawyer, the 24-year-old admitted that he also felt guilty about murder. He knew that someone could die if he suffocated.
The 24-year-old then revealed the reason for the argument: his girlfriend had cheated on him and that’s why he panicked. But he insisted that he did not want to kill himself, but only wanted to escape the situation. It was actually an accident.
Police emergency number: 133. Women’s shelters in Styria: 0316-429900. Men’s emergency line for men in crisis and violent situations: 0800-246247, psychiatric crisis hotline PsyNot: 0800-449933.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
