Life imprisonment after underground parking garage murder
The shots hit the victim at close range - directly in the face. Almost nine months ago, a 58-year-old Telekom employee was shot dead in his car. The crime scene was an underground parking garage in Bochum. On Friday, the perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. Judge Nils Feldhaus called the crime "an ice-cold execution" at the verdict of the Bochum jury court. The 27-year-old defendant was a "dangerous psychopath".
It was the evening of March 7 this year when a resident in Bochum's underground parking garage became aware of a car with its engine running. She then saw the horribly mangled body behind the wheel. According to the verdict, the 58-year-old had been shot a total of seven times - through the rear window and the side window. Six shots hit him. The judges assume that the accused ambushed his later victim and fired immediately without warning. The trigger is said to have been a previous argument in road traffic.
According to the verdict, the Turkish defendant was out for revenge. He was easily offended and excessive in his anger. He also had a "hatred of people - especially Germans", according to Judge Feldhaus.
Preventive detention ordered
The investigators had found a list on the defendant's cell phone with the word "hell people" written on it. It contained the names and addresses of people who the 27-year-old wanted to take revenge on, according to the verdict. These included a former teacher, several businessmen, but also family members.
In addition to the sentence of life imprisonment, the judges also recognized the particular severity of guilt and ordered subsequent and indefinite preventive detention - for the protection of the general public. Early release after 15 years is therefore ruled out according to the verdict.
During the trial, the Dortmund man confessed to the crime. In a statement by his defense lawyers, however, it was said that the victim had previously insulted him in a xenophobic manner and threatened him with death. In this situation, he had seen red, snapped and fired. However, the judges saw things differently. They assumed that the murder was a dastardly murder with base motives.
The verdict is not final.
The perpetrator's aggressive behavior and hatred towards certain individuals were key factors in his judgment. The list of intended victims found on his phone, including Germans, indicates a deep-seated bias.
The judicial processes resulted in a life sentence for the murder committed in the underground car park, and additional preventive detention due to the grave nature of his offenses and potential danger to society.
Source: www.dpa.com
