Contract killer wanted on the Darknet: 15 years in prison for 53-year-old

The IT expert initially denied the allegations and called it a “stupid game”, but eventually made a confession. The judgment is not final.

At the end of February this year, the defendant from the Baden district is said to have placed an advertisement on a Darknet site under the pseudonym “Sunnyboy” seeking a contract killer for his former partner. The woman was supposed to be hit by a car in such a way that it looked like an accident. The advertisement also included personal data and a description of the woman, her habits, her partner and her home address and photos were sent.

The Lower Austrian is said to have transferred Bitcoins worth 9,000 US dollars (around 8,220 euros). He is said to have specified specific time periods for the crime to be carried out. According to the public prosecutor, corresponding chats, including the final order, were secured. “She tortures children. So the job is pretty urgent,” the “target person” said in an English-language message, according to a translation. When an interested party asked for more money, another user was found who agreed to carry out the order for $10,000 (around €9,133) within five days. The 53-year-old then transferred money again.

• Read about it: Murder of ex-wife would have cost “Sunnyboy” 9,133 euros

The tip-off to the Austrian authorities came from Interpol Manchester at the beginning of March, and the woman was subsequently monitored and placed under police protection. The Lower Austrian was confronted with the murder plan by the executive and named her former partner as a possible client. After extensive investigations, including on the Darknet and surveillance, the handcuffs clicked for the defendant at the end of April.

The public prosecutor’s office located the motive in a dispute over custody of their son between the defendant and his former partner. The 53-year-old initially said he had lived out a fantasy on the Darknet to get rid of baggage and frustration, “that has nothing to do with reality.” However, during the trial he changed his responsibilities and pleaded guilty. In his interview with the police, the 53-year-old spoke of an “act of affect solely to protect my child.” During questioning, a message was also written to the contractor to stop the planned murder.

“Treacherous assassination attempt”

“I think he was definitely serious,” said the defendant’s ex-partner. During her interview in the absence of her ex-partner, she reported “psychological terror” by the accused with “humiliation and harassment” as well as surveillance. The woman was “scared to death” and “suffers from the psychological consequences to this day,” said the representative of the private party.

The public prosecutor saw the final speech as an “insidious attempted murder” which, from the defendant’s point of view, “was intended to solve family problems.” The crime should be seen against the background of a series of murders of women. The defense team with Rudolf Mayer and Manfred Arbacher-Stöger said that the 53-year-old did not want to believe that he was capable of such an act. “I’m very sorry. I really didn’t want this,” said the defendant in his closing words.

The jury’s decision for a guilty verdict in the evening hours was unanimous. The defendant also has to pay his ex-partner almost 29,000 euros. The accused accepted the verdict. It is not legally binding because the public prosecutor’s office made no statement.

info By clicking on the icon you can add the keyword to your topics.

info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. They have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.

info By clicking on the icon you can remove the keyword from your topics.

Add the topic to your topics.