Murder of student - Murder 46 years ago - Former US soldier charged
Due to a murder of a student in Unterfranken 46 years ago, the prosecution has filed charges against a former US soldier. "He is accused of murdering the 18-year-old student to cover up an affair with her," said a spokesperson for the Schweinfurt Prosecutor's Office. He is alleged to have killed the young woman in 1978 with 14 stab wounds. The man denies the crime.
The man, who is now 70 years old, was recently extradited to Germany and is in pre-trial detention. He was arrested in the US state of Nebraska the previous year.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the man was 24 years old and a soldier in the US armed forces stationed in Schweinfurt at the time. In 1996, the man came under investigation by the authorities. Thanks to modern criminal technology, investigators were able to analyze DNA traces on the victim's clothing later. The results and witness statements allegedly incriminate the former soldier in the eyes of the Prosecutor's Office.
- The murder of the 18-year-old student in Lower Franconia, specifically in Unterfranken, remains a prominent unsolved case in Germany's criminal history.
- Despite the passage of time and his current residence in Bavaria, the public prosecutor's office in Schweinfurt continues to pursue the case against the former US soldier.
- The US soldiers, including the accused, were stationed in Schweinfurt during the 1970s, a period that saw significant cultural exchange between Germany and the USA.
- The case has garnered attention both in Germany and the USA, leading to discussions about the complexities of military justice and extradition procedures.
- The investigation and subsequent prosecution are a testament to the enduring commitment of the public prosecutor's office to seek justice for the victim and bring closure to her family.
