An inexplicable act and a man who does not want to explain anything: In the Baden-Baden trial for the murder of a six-year-old, the district court will give its verdict this Tuesday (3:30 p.m.). A 34-year-old German is said to have murdered his son’s playground friend during an overnight visit.
He is accused of killing the girl with a knife in his apartment in Baden-Baden on the night of December 19 last year and of assaulting the corpse. He is said to have set fire to cover up the crime – although four relatives were sleeping in the house, including his six-year-old son.
The defendant, who has no criminal record, did not confess to the crime and remained silent throughout the trial. However, the prosecutor is certain that the evidence is sufficient for a conviction. She accuses the trained road builder, among other things, of murder, disturbing the peace of the dead and attempted murder in four cases. She demands a life sentence – and the determination of the particular gravity of the guilt. The joint plaintiffs, including the mother and father of the killed girl, reportedly agreed in a closed session. The public defender therefore waived an application for the sentence.
Why the crime happened is unclear. The defendant did not consent to being examined by a psychiatrist. From the point of view of an expert, there is nothing to suggest reduced criminal responsibility, and pedophilia could not be determined either.
The defendant grew up in the home, but after a difficult start he led an unremarkable life. He was considered a loving father and reliable; he was popular with children. The six-year-old had already stayed twice before with other children at the playground friend. The girl’s mother knew the man from the playground. Nothing indicated to her that her daughter could be in danger with him.
The girl’s father, who followed the trial as a joint plaintiff, hoped to the last that the alleged murderer would break his silence. He and other relatives, those involved in the process and observers waited in vain for an explanation.
