70-Year-Old Killed in Vienna: Accused Will Not Go to Court

According to a psychiatric report, the Afghan was not accountable at the time of the crime due to pronounced paranoid schizophrenia. The public prosecutor's office has therefore filed a motion with the regional court for placement in a forensic-therapeutic center.

The deceased was discovered on November 7, 2024, after his friend, a family doctor, contacted the police because he had been unable to reach the 70-year-old for over a week. When the fire department opened the apartment door, they found the body, which had numerous stab and cut wounds on the head, face, neck, and nape. Defensive wounds on the hands and forearms indicated that the victim had fought for his life. The face of the deceased was covered with a pillow.

Blood-soaked Sneakers Led to 27-Year-Old in Vienna

Suspicion quickly fell on the 27-year-old Afghan, who had lived with the pensioner for several years and had been financially supported by him. Recently, however, the 70-year-old is said to have asked his roommate to move out because he was not pursuing regular employment and did not want to undergo training. Since blood-soaked sneakers belonging to the 27-year-old were found in the apartment, search and tracking measures were initiated for the Afghan. He was arrested on November 8, carrying a knife about 30 centimeters long in the inside pocket of his jacket. He also had a cut on his left hand, which he likely sustained during the commission of the crime.

Man Cited "Devil" After Arrest

After his arrest, the 27-year-old stated that "the devil" had ordered him to "eliminate" the 70-year-old because he was "an enemy," as noted in the placement application. The Afghan, represented by defense attorney Astrid Wagner, further claimed that "the devil himself," who was "made of fire" and had no face, had carried out most of the stabbings. He later told psychiatric expert Peter Hofmann that he had first been contacted by devils two years ago. The deceased was also a devil, had been resurrected in the meantime, and had visited him in prison.

The deceased was a restaurateur who had operated a well-known fondue restaurant in the city center. He ran the business for about 17 years, wanted to retire last fall, and return to his original Swiss homeland.

The psychiatric expert certifies the 27-year-old with a "continuously bizarre delusion," a "pronounced megalomania," and a "severe disturbance of reality." He shows no insight into his illness and sees no reason to undergo treatment, which is why the expert recommends placement under Section 21, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. Otherwise, the non-accountable man, under the influence of his persistent and severe mental disorder, may commit crimes with serious consequences again.

When the hearing on the placement application will take place in the Grauen Haus is unclear. There is no date yet for the main trial before a jury court.

(APA/Red)

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