“The worst thing I could have done”: Viennese man in court after murdering wife

According to the prosecution, he killed his victim in a shockingly brutal manner. He himself survived his suicide attempt. On Tuesday, he had to face a murder trial at the Vienna Regional Court.

149 executions since 1996

On disability pension and having been faced with a total of 149 executions since 1996, the defendant had not managed to bring order to his financial difficulties. When he met the young woman in a card casino in 2017, the 63-year-old presented himself as a successful investor. A year later, he married for the third time and spoiled her with watches, jewelry and expensive trips.

House “bought” for one million euros

He got the money from friends and acquaintances, promising them profitable investments or pretending that they would receive an inheritance. Even when the mountain of debt had already become unmanageable, he “bought” a house in Liesing for a million euros without a penny. He was eloquent and managed to find numerous excuses as to why he could not pay – the money was invested, the Bitcoins could not be sold so quickly, etc. The plan to become rich by winning the lottery – he lost 500 to 1,000 euros per round – came to nothing.

“Shared life in the afterlife”

But even when the house seller’s patience ran out and the final deadline passed on October 5, 2023, the man did not tell the 35-year-old the truth. Instead, he planned to commit suicide and kill his wife first in order to then, in his own words, live a life together again in the afterlife. “In retrospect, that was the stupidest and worst thing I could have done,” the accused said.

He surprised the unsuspecting woman in the dressing room and attacked her with a Stanley knife and a meat knife. His attempt to kill the dog failed. His brother, alerted by a text message, called the police.

Narcissism and lack of empathy

The forensic psychiatric expert, Peter Hofmann, certified that the defendant was of sound mind and did not suffer from a serious mental illness. However, he spoke of a distinctly narcissistic personality. He also certified that the 63-year-old had a striking lack of empathy. “He did not express any compassion or regret.”

The forensic pathologist, in turn, described in detail the victim’s numerous and deep wounds. In contrast, the accused’s injuries were “hesitant”, superficial and by no means life-threatening.

After the reading of the file contents and the pleadings, the jury was to retire to deliberate in the afternoon.