Homicide in Jestetten (Germany) remains a mystery
Published: Monday, Dec 11th 2023, 17:40
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The first day of the trial for the homicide in Jestetten (Germany) has brought little new information about the exact course of the crime or the motive. The accused has so far only answered questions about himself.
The 39-year-old accused man from Latvia was questioned on Monday morning. He talked about his childhood and youth in the Baltic state, where he was born in 1984.
Due to his Russian origin, he became a so-called Latvian non-citizen after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Although he has a permanent residence permit in the Baltic state, he does not have its citizenship.
He came into conflict with the law at a young age and was sent to a prison for juveniles. In 2005, he was convicted of manslaughter for killing and robbing an elderly woman with an accomplice. He was released from prison in 2015.
Entered the country as a worker
He entered Germany on May 21 of this year. As an employee of a Latvian subcontractor, he and other Latvian workers were to lay cables for broadband internet connections in the German municipality of Klettgau.
The public prosecutor's office accuses him of killing a 31-year-old Swiss man on the banks of the Rhine near Jestetten on the evening of June 8, 2023. The man, who came from the canton of St. Gallen, had set up his hammock there and wanted to spend the night outdoors. The next day, he wanted to attend a techno party with his brother in nearby Eglisau ZH.
He was found dead the next morning. Lying on his stomach with his pants pulled down. DNA traces of the accused were later found on his genitals. The victim's wallet had disappeared and his rucksack, which contained his smartphone among other things, was later found in the Rhine.
According to the indictment, the 39-year-old Latvian is said to have beaten him to death with a log. It is still unclear why. Was he worried about money and wanted to rob the victim? According to the public prosecutor's office, he was practically broke at the time of the crime as he had not yet received any money for his work in Germany.
DNA traces incriminate the accused
It is also not known exactly what happened in the hours before the crime. DNA traces of the accused and the victim were found on a joint. There was probably also plenty of alcohol.
The victim had about 1.8 per mille. There are videos of the accused buying beer and cigarettes at two petrol stations and in a store on June 8. As could be seen on videos from surveillance cameras, the later victim also shopped in a store in Rheinau shortly after the accused.
The defendant did not have to work on that Thursday due to a public holiday. On Friday, he came to work as normal.
On 22 June, the alleged perpetrator was arrested in neighboring Lottstetten (Germany). He has been in custody since then and, according to the public prosecutor's office, has not commented on the allegations.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. According to the public prosecutor's office, preventive detention will also have to be considered. This is an indefinite deprivation of liberty, the necessity of which is regularly reviewed.
Although the charge is manslaughter, the court will also examine whether a conviction for murder can be considered. If the defendant continues to persistently remain silent, the court will have to rely mainly on evidence when seeking a verdict. In contrast to trials in Switzerland, this evidence will be presented in detail at the hearing. The hearing of numerous witnesses is also planned.
The Waldshut-Tiengen District Court has scheduled seven further trial days in December and January. A verdict is therefore likely to be reached at the end of January at the earliest.
©Keystone/SDA
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