Murder trial in Wuppertal - Murder of a Stewardess: Life Sentence Demanded
A man, 58, is on trial at the Landgericht Wuppertal for the murder of a stewardess in Velbert near Essen, which occurred 17 years ago. The prosecution alleges that the man acted out of jealousy and greed during the murder trial on Friday. The defendant denies the charge. His lawyers had announced their intention to apply for acquittal.
The man is accused of killing the flight attendant on behalf of her husband, who shot himself shortly thereafter. The verdict is expected in the afternoon.
The man was arrested last year after re-examination of DNA traces. Six DNA hits of the man were found on the victim, around her back and on her right and left arms, as testified by an expert from the Landeskriminalamt NRW in the trial.
Fifty-eight-year-old stands trial as suspected hitman
The 58-year-old is an acquaintance of the victim's husband and stands trial as the alleged hitman. He is accused of killing the flight attendant on behalf of her husband because she had left him. The husband shot himself shortly after the murder. The then minor son discovered the body when he came home from school.
The defendant is a recidivist violent offender from the Hessian Wetterau district. He had served an eight-year sentence for a series of eleven robberies at gas stations. During the time of the crime in 2007, he was reportedly in severe financial difficulties. He explained his DNA traces on the body by saying that he had found the woman lying on the ground and checked her pulse.
The case of the murdered Claudia K. had remained unsolved for a long time. The murder investigation was reopened as a "Cold Case" by investigators, thanks to new DNA analysis methods, they were able to assign certain skin cells from the body to the defendant. In addition, witnesses came forward.
The Public Prosecutor's Office in North Rhine-Westphalia, specifically in Hesse, is responsible for the indictment against the defendant. The trial is taking place at the District Court Wuppertal. The DNA evidence found on the victim links the 58-year-old to the scene of the crime. The murder charge alleges he acted out of jealousy and greed, a claim he denies. Despite his past criminality, including a conviction for a series of robberies, the murder trial continues in Velbert, near Essen.
