Court sentences 39-year-old man for manslaughter in Jestetten (D)
Published: Thursday, Jan 25th 2024, 17:30
Updated At: Thursday, Jan 25th 2024, 17:30
العودة إلى البث المباشر
On Thursday, the Waldshut-Tiengen Regional Court sentenced a 39-year-old man from Latvia to 13 years' imprisonment for manslaughter. The man had killed a 31-year-old man from the canton of St. Gallen on the banks of the Rhine in Jestetten (D) in June 2023.
"We would have come to the same conclusion even without the defendant's confession on Tuesday," said the presiding judge when announcing the verdict. Based on the evidence, there was no doubt about the defendant's guilt.
In its verdict, the court essentially followed the prosecution's proposals. The latter requested a slightly higher prison sentence of 14 years. The defense lawyer also pleaded for a guilty verdict for manslaughter following the defendant's surprising confession. However, he requested a shorter prison sentence of 11.5 years.
The 39-year-old man from Latvia was working in Germany last June. On June 8, he killed a 31-year-old wild camper from the canton of St. Gallen on the banks of the Rhine near Jestetten (Germany) on the border with Switzerland. He wanted to spend the night in a hammock in an idyllic spot directly on the Rhine. The following day, he and his brother wanted to attend a techno party in nearby Eglisau ZH.
Beaten to death with a massive log
According to the court's findings, the crime must have occurred between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. "However, we lack precise information about the decisive minutes," said the judge. However, it is clear from the evidence that the convicted 39-year-old killed his victim with a massive log.
Among other things, the deceased suffered severe head injuries, which caused him to fall unconscious and choke on his vomit. According to a forensic pathologist who examined the deceased, he could have been saved if he had been treated quickly.
Why the defendant killed the wild camper could not be clarified in court. According to the judge, the search for money is the most plausible motive. On the afternoon before the crime, the accused is said to have been hanging around in nearby allotment gardens. He also asked his partner in Latvia to transfer money twice that day.
At the time of the crime, the 39-year-old had been working in Germany for around two weeks laying cables. He should have received his first pay the following day.
In Latvia, he was sentenced to a long prison term for a homicide in 2004. He was released from prison in 2015.
The judgment of the Waldshut-Tiengen District Court is not yet final. The convicted person has one week to lodge an appeal with the Federal Criminal Court.
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