16-Year-Old Killed with 50 Axe Blows: Life Imprisonment for 45-Year-Old

In October 2024, in Favoriten, he killed a 16-year-old, whom he had been regularly paying for sexual acts since April 2024, with 50 axe blows. The verdict is not final.

The previously unblemished man pleaded guilty from the start but claimed he could not remember the events. He admitted to consuming alcohol and crystal meth before the time of the crime. He announced a full appeal after the verdict was delivered.

The whole incident was preceded by a tragic story: The 16-year-old victim came from poor circumstances in Bulgaria and was forced by his family into prostitution. His brother acted as a pimp and organized meetings with men, like the 45-year-old, who, according to the prosecutor, "had a preference for young men."

1,500 Euros for a Weekend with the Boy

According to the prosecutor, the Austrian developed feelings for the boy over time. "He was downright infatuated with him," she said. The 45-year-old wanted to spend more and more time with the young Bulgarian. For a weekend, he paid up to 1,500 euros. "He was obsessed with the 16-year-old," said the prosecutor. To cover the high costs, he even took out a loan.

According to the defendant, the brother of the 16-year-old demanded increasingly higher amounts and put pressure on the 45-year-old. The now accused was also afraid of blackmail due to his sexual preferences. Therefore, he planned to move back to Linz to "get my life in order." It was the brother of the 16-year-old who procured crystal meth for him, which he used for sexual stimulation. During the investigation, thousands of images and videos of child abuse depictions were also discovered on the man's devices. However, the charge was dropped by the prosecutor's office due to the severity of the other offenses.

On the first weekend of October 2024, the boy was again with the 45-year-old in Vienna. The two spent time at the Prater on Sunday, October 6. "We had a lot of fun," said the defendant, who was legally represented by Astrid Wagner. In the evening at home, the man wanted sex, but the 16-year-old refused. He said he was tired and in pain to the 45-year-old. According to the prosecutor, he did not accept this. "I was looking forward to it and he said no," said the defendant. He did not understand why he would promise something he would not keep. "He just brushed me off. I was so disappointed." After consuming crystal meth, he also drank alcohol out of frustration.

"I Was Completely High"

According to the prosecutor, he then went to the basement, got an axe, and struck 50 times. The victim died from multiple chop wounds, including severed spinal cord, carotid artery, and jugular vein, said forensic pathologist Nikolaus Klupp. He and the psychiatric expert Peter Hofmann spoke of "annihilation" and "execution," respectively.

The accused himself cannot remember the act, only two blows. "I was completely out of it," he claimed. He then woke up in a dark room and saw someone lying on the floor. It was the 16-year-old. He checked to see if he was alive. "He wasn't moving anymore. There was blood everywhere," said the defendant, who repeatedly began to sob loudly during his statements. He still sent messages to the police and his family and then wanted to commit suicide. His sister persuaded him to come to Upper Austria, where the police were then alerted.

Translation App as Evidence

The police were able to reconstruct the last days of the 16-year-old well because the 45-year-old used a translation app due to the language barrier, which recorded everything. The man's last words to the boy were: "Sleep well." The court did not believe him that he was in a state of complete intoxication.

For the presiding judge of the jury, Christoph Bauer, life imprisonment was inevitable. "You have destroyed the life of a young person," he said. "This was not just a murder, but an overkill." Such brutality had never occurred in his career before.

Frequent Trial Breaks

The trial had to be interrupted several times due to the man's health condition. The 45-year-old had attempted suicide in custody, during which his vocal cords were destroyed.

Support services for people with suicidal thoughts and their relatives are offered by the suicide prevention portal of the Ministry of Health. Contact details of support facilities in Austria can be found at www.suizid-praevention.gv.at. Information for young people is available at www.bittelebe.at

(APA/Red)

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