56-year-old arrested after murder of homeless man
Passers-by in Munich discover a homeless man on fire under a bridge. They are unable to save him. Thanks to the latest technology, the police are now able to identify a suspect. The evidence is sufficient for an arrest warrant.
After the violent death of a homeless man under a bridge in Munich, the police have arrested a 56-year-old man on suspicion of murder. The Hungarian was homeless himself and had been on the scene as an alleged first aider when the 78-year-old was found dead and burning in the English Garden around three weeks ago, said Stephan Beer, head of the Munich homicide squad. An arrest warrant had been issued for the suspect.
In the course of the investigation, the suspicion against the alleged helper was confirmed. He had made contradictory statements. In addition, items belonging to the deceased were found in the Hungarian's storage area, according to the police. Investigators had initially feared that the case could be a "hate crime against homeless people", similar to the acts that recently made headlines in Vienna. An investigation team of 17 officers got to work and followed up 34 witness reports, partly because it was initially unclear who the burnt victim was.
In the course of this investigation, so-called super-recognizers were also used to evaluate video camera footage in the area around the crime scene. Super-recognizers have an above-average ability to remember faces and movements and recognize people on video recordings in large crowds. The 56-year-old could also be seen on these recordings, said Beer, without giving further details. Together with the objects found on him, including a magnifying glass, pliers and a screwdriver, as well as the contradictions in the statements, an "overall picture" had emerged "after three weeks".
This has now led to the man's arrest. The 78-year-old died as a result of "massive blunt force trauma to the upper body". "Various hammers" were found on the suspect. According to the police, it is not yet clear whether the murder weapon was among them. The suspect did not initially comment on the allegations. The investigators are once again asking the public for help. They are looking for witnesses who can say something about the possible course of the crime and who, for example, saw the homeless man who was killed on his bicycle in Schwabing before the crime.
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The investigation into the murder of a homeless man in Munich's English Garden involved an international effort, as Hungarian authorities were involved in the case due to the suspect's nationality. The violent crime raised concerns of criminality and violence against homeless individuals, echoing similar incidents in Vienna. The police's use of advanced technology and witnesses' reports aided in the arrest of the 56-year-old suspect.
Source: www.ntv.de
