Machete murder in Vienna: disputes over drug sales as a motive

The main perpetrator is a 21-year-old Algerian. Another three suspects who were present at the bloody crime were in custody and confessed, Gerhard Winkler, head of the investigative service of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office, announced at a press conference.

The 21-year-old is said to have repeatedly gotten into arguments with the later victim over drug deals. There was also a personal conflict between the young man and the 31-year-old. On the night of April 20th there was a meeting where “the escalation of violence” occurred, as Winkler described it at the press event together with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and Vienna State Police Vice President Franz Eigner. The 31-year-old suffered such severe cuts and stab wounds that he died in hospital shortly afterwards.

Murder suspects were in Austria illegally

The four men suspected of the murder – all Algerians – belong to a “smaller cell” of drug dealers who have been selling narcotics – cannabis, marijuana and cocaine – on the streets in Vienna for about a year. All of them were staying in Austria illegally. The later victim was slightly higher in the hierarchy than the others. The 31-year-old was responsible for distributing the drugs and collecting the money. The 21-year-old is therefore likely to have repeatedly gotten into arguments with the “boss”. He had the feeling that he was “being ripped off,” said Winkler.

The young man came to the meeting at the subway station with three colleagues at around 1 a.m. on April 20th, where the 21-year-old brought the machete with him and ended up hitting the 31-year-old with it. All four fled in different directions, with one suspect even jumping into the Danube Canal to escape the police. The crew of a district patrol car arrived at the scene so quickly that they were able to fish the hypothermic 25-year-old man out of the water near the Peace Bridge. According to Winkler, he initially denied any involvement in the crime, but he did have minor cuts on his hand.

Drugs found in apartment

After the victim was identified, it was clear to the investigators that there must be an intense perpetrator-victim relationship and that this could be found in the drug scene. Two weeks later, the 31-year-old’s apartment on Wallensteinstrasse in Vienna’s 20th district was discovered. There the police discovered a 34-year-old Libyan and a 30-year-old Algerian as well as half a kilo of cannabis and a kilo of marijuana. The two were arrested and it turned out that the 30-year-old was also present at the bloody crime, but was not involved.

With the help of structural investigations in the scene and cooperation with Algerian and French authorities, investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office were able to identify the other people involved in the crime in France. A 28-year-old was already in custody there. He was extradited to Austria in July. The 21-year-old main perpetrator was arrested on June 20 and extradited in September. And the last person wanted, a 21-year-old man, was arrested on October 5th. He came to Austria on November 15th.

Incidentally, the murder weapon was never found. The 21-year-old threw her into the Danube Canal, but she was no longer found by police divers.

“One of the most horrific crimes in recent years”

“It was one of the most brutal and horrific crimes in recent years in Austria, in the federal capital,” said Karner. The act spread “fear and terror” because of its brutality. The Interior Minister praised the “model example of successful, meticulous and sustained investigative work” and that the crime was solved after just seven months. A key factor in the rapid clarification is the good cooperation between the uniformed police – the standby unit, Wega and the rapid intervention forces – and the criminal police. This meant that a fugitive could be arrested so quickly.

As a result of this crime, further priority actions were set and launched, especially in the area of ​​public transport in Vienna, said the Interior Minister. This increased the visible presence, but also the presence of undercover investigators. So far this year, there have been 900 arrests in these key operations, especially in the fight against organized crime such as drug trafficking, said Karner.

Since not only the regular service but also special units regularly carry out patrols in Vienna, their colleagues could have been at the crime scene so quickly on April 20th and arrested the 25-year-old, explained Eigner. From the emergency call until the first police officer arrives, it only takes “three minutes, sometimes even less.” From May to October there were again focused activities in the public area; in October, November and December the focus is on the onset of dusk.

Localization: The crime scene in Vienna-Brigittenau

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