- DEPRAVED ACT: 46-year-old Individual Accused of Murdering Spouse
Following a lethal attack utilizing a crossbow and a knife, a 46-year-old male was given a lifetime sentence for homicide by the Regional Court of Zwickau. According to Judge Jörg Burmeister, the offence was at its most despicable level, as stated in the judgment. Driven by an inability to reclaim her love, he sought to obliterate his wife following their separation and claim her existence even in death. He orchestrated a depiction of her on her headstone adorned with a "slave ring" around her neck.
The couple reportedly underwent a romantic dynamic characterized by BDSM - a catchall term encompassing sexual proclivities corresponding to dominance, submission, and sadomasochism. The woman eventually parted ways with the man. Upon her return to the Plauen apartment at the tail end of July 2023 to tend to the cats, the now 46-year-old German male awaited her, armed with a loaded crossbow. Upon discharge, the crossbow bolt embedded itself in her cheek, lodged in her palate. He then assaulted her repeatedly with a knife in her neck, resulting in her untimely demise as per the judgment. She was just 37 years old. Judge Burmeister characterized the act as a spineless crime motivated by base desires.
The arguments put forth by the prosecution and defense were shielded from public scrutiny due to testimony from a minor. Nonetheless, the court found itself weighing the alternatives between manslaughter and homicide, Burmeister revealed. The defendant acknowledged the act but offered differing accounts. He claimed that the crossbow bolt was inadvertently discharged during a confrontation with the woman. However, the judges expressed disbelief in this claim. The court alluded to a digital memo detailing deliberate murder plans involving a crossbow and a knife.
Monetary Assistance for the Daughter of the Deceased
The 13-year-old daughter of the victim was granted €25,000 in survivor benefits, which the incarcerated man is required to pay. Burmeister explained that the funds aim to mitigate the emotional repercussions resulting from the violence. The girl not only endured the loss of her mother but also grapples with feelings of guilt, believing she could not safeguard her mother. Moreover, the compensation serves to convey, "You bear no responsibility for your mother's death," as Judge Burmeister described.
Despite the characterization of such acts of violence towards women as 'femicides', the court did not utilize this term. The verdict is yet to be finalized. The prosecution expressed significant satisfaction with the court's decision. The defense has one week to file an appeal.
The 46-year-old man was initially tried at the Court of First Instance for the deadly attack on his wife. Despite the defendant's claim of accidental discharge of the crossbow bolt, the Court of First Instance found evidence of deliberate murder plans and dismissed his excuse.
