Thirty years after the death of Jack Unterweger, former chief investigator Ernst Geiger has now written a novel about the serial killer. “I can’t shake the suspicion,” the retired researcher said, “that he has killed before.”
Jack Unterweger – a perpetrator who is repeatedly reported. Because of his complex life story; because of the extreme perfidy and cruelty with which he committed his crimes.
Jack Unterweger – this year marks 30 years since he was found guilty of nine murders of prostitutes during his trial at the Graz Regional Court. After which he hanged himself in his cell.
The latest secrets in the case
“30 years later” – the reason for Ernst Geiger, once the lead investigator in the case, to write a book about what he calls his “most important case”. This book entitled Murder Man – a novel in which fiction and reality blur; which alludes to assumptions made by the retired top researcher “for which unfortunately I have never found evidence”.
But what secrets should there still be about Unterweger? “I can’t shake the suspicion,” Geiger said, “that his number of victims could be higher.”
By this, the former researcher mainly refers to the – officially unsolved – crime against a woman that the murderer may have committed before his first murder, which was proven to him in 1974.
Of the book: “It was April 1, 1973, a Sunday. A man went fishing with his son in Lake Salzach. Not far from the shore they saw something floating in the water. (…) The corpse was curled up in a fetal position. Her hands were tied in front of her body with a red tie. Her legs were tied above the ankles with brown tights. A cloth bandage was wrapped around her face….”
One thing is certain: in the late 1980s, countless intellectuals stood up for Unterweger, who had become a ‘Häfn poet’ while serving his – actually life-long – prison sentence. Because in novels he had apparently reflected on his path to becoming a serious criminal and was thus seen as a model example of successful rehabilitation: “With made-up stories about his supposedly bad childhood. At the time, no one checked the accuracy of his stories.”
Be that as it may, Unterweger’s ‘whole self’ remains a mystery to Geiger. ‘All I know is that he was capable of the most brutal acts – and that he was the most manipulative person I have ever met.’ It was precisely because of his manipulative power that he managed to win over men and women of all ages and backgrounds. “After his arrest in 1992, I asked many of his loved ones what they found attractive about him. The answers were always the same: Jack was a good listener.”
“He was just plain bad.”
„‘I invite you for coffee. And if you don’t feel like it anymore, just leave, okay?’ Jack said. Catherine nodded. She liked that Jack took her seriously. That he cared about her, was interested in her.”
Ernst Geiger: “Unterweger had the gift of appearing extremely empathetic. When in reality he was fundamentally bad.” How did evil arise in him? “There is no real explanation for this. This enormous icy cold was just inside him, perhaps since childhood.
Back to 1994, to the evidentiary trial of the serial killer: “There were hundreds of people who supported him and were convinced of his innocence. And in fact, during the trial I was sometimes afraid that he would be acquitted.”
And would that have happened? “I could hardly have tolerated that. Because I’m sure: after a while he would have continued to kill somewhere…”
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.
