The start of the process: 18-year-old confesses double murder of homeless people

The start of the process: 18-year-old confesses double murder of homeless people

On Monday started onVienna Regional CourtA trial against an 18-year-old who is accused of killed two sleeping homeless people in the summer of 2023 and seriously injured a woman. The indictment includes serious offenses such as double murder and attempted murder. With a kitchen knife, he is said to have attacked his victims in Vienna, one of the homicides in front of the public and the others took place during the night.

During his interrogation, the defendant admitted his actions, but also described the emotional motives behind his deeds. "I guilty," he said, adding that he felt in a "blood rush" during the deeds. He could not see the painful faces of his victims because they were in her sleep and confessed that after the first murder he felt a feeling of fulfillment.

Frightening acts and the background

The then 17-year-old was already charged in court for several homicides. On July 12, 2023, he stabbed a 56-year-old man on a park bench in Vienna-Brigittenau. Just a few weeks later, on July 22nd, he added a 51-year-old woman in theVenice AuAlso with a knife serious injuries that she survived. Another murder happened on the night of August 9, when he killed a 55-year-old man at the Hernals Gürtel in Vienna-Josefstadt.

The psychologist's report, which was presented during the trial, certified the accused of his accountability, but found that there was a high risk of him. The psychologist described him as a "serial killer", which indicates the repeated search for excitement and new victims.

The fact that the young man carefully planned his deeds is particularly shocking. He put on his cell phone before the attacksFlight modeso as not to be located. He also hid a hood and a self -made mouth protection to disguise his identity and avoid the surveillance cameras. Already as a child he showed violent tendencies when heSoftgunaimed at his stepmother.

Family backgrounds and the role of the accused

The defense tried to draw a differentiated picture of the accused. The defender, Manfred Arbacher-Stöger, emphasized that the accused could not be regarded as a "empathetic monster". He pointed out that the young man came from a difficult family situation that shaped him. At the age of two, he experienced the divorce of his parents, and his father's later relationship with his stepmother led to mental abuse that had a lasting impact on him. These tragedies in his childhood had contributed to his current behavior.

The public prosecutor has also requested that the survivors have a voice to give the victims and continue to pursue the atrocities. Although the accused is confessed, the case raises serious questions about his mental health and his actions.

In the course of the procedure, it remains to be seen how the judges will evaluate the severity of the acts and the background of the accused. In addition, measures for treatment are shown, since there is a high probability for future acts of violence without therapeutic intervention, as already described in the report. The public shows great interest in the further development of this process, which again raises questions about violence among young people and dealing with mental disorders.