“I just wanted to hurt her like she hurt me.” With these words, 66-year-old Erich R. tried to explain why he stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife on October 31 of the previous year in Laakirchen. The lay judges of the Wels regional court did not believe him: 15 years in prison, not legally binding.
The suspect and his future victim met at a spa in 2006 and married in 2016. Both the former army officer and his wife spoke of a harmonious marriage – until that fateful October 31. The day before, the woman’s elderly father was a guest at the couple’s apartment, they ate and played cards – as they had many times before.
The argument about the car escalated
In the afternoon, Erich R. and the elderly person started talking about his car, and the defendant became verbally abusive. His wife wanted him to clear things up with an apology, but he refused.
Threatened suicide
The discussion about the apology is said to have continued the next morning at breakfast. The victim describes what happened in the interview as follows: “My husband got up and went to the bathroom and then sat down opposite me on the couch. He took out his mobile phone, called the emergency services and said he was about to commit suicide with thirty pills.”
Stabbed indiscriminately
When the 60-year-old was unimpressed, Erich R. got up and went to the kitchen. When he returned, he grabbed her by the chest and started stabbing her with a knife in the chest and shoulder area. He is said to have said: “That’s what you wanted, you’re not taking anything away from me.”
The perpetrator claims a blackout
The woman fought back fiercely and at one point the suspect let go of her, sat on the couch and treated a cut on his finger. He repeatedly talks about a blackout and the expert says that there were no substances in his blood that would have affected him. The psychiatric expert also concluded that he was completely healthy at the time of the crime.
Knife with 15 cm long blade
The stabbing victim was able to call for help on his cell phone and the suspect was arrested without resistance in the murder apartment. The judge wanted to know why exactly he had brought this knife with the 15 cm long blade. “I randomly reached into the drawer, I would have used a butter knife. It wasn’t until I was stabbing that I thought, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t have taken that knife.’”
15 years in prison
The jury didn’t believe he just wanted to hurt his wife. Erich R. was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the sentence is not yet final.
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.
