A Long-Awaited Verdict: 70-Year-Old Convicted for double Murder in Volklingen
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Punishment Escalation for Double Homicide Committed Three Decades Past: New Sentencing Hearing Prioritized - No life sentences imposed for double homicide committed 30 years ago.
After three decades, the children of the slain couple in Volklingen finally received answers. The Regional Court of Saarbrücken has sentenced a 70-year-old man to 14 years in prison for double murder and seven counts of attempted murder. While the court acknowledged the defendant's potential reduced control capacity due to drug addiction, they did not impose a life sentence, sparking controversy.
The public prosecution and co-plaintiffs had demanded a life sentence, citing the defendant's particularly serious guilt. The defense team, on the other hand, argued for acquittal. The verdict is not yet final, with defense attorney Christian Schmieden signaling potential plans for an appeal.
Convicted Multiple Times
In a chilling repeat of his past, the court found the man guilty of killing the friendly couple in their home and robbing them in 1996. Following the crime, he set fire to four living rooms in an apparent attempt to cover his tracks, endangering the lives of seven other occupants in the building. The Jordanian national's motive was reportedly to fund his drug addiction. This is consistent with his previous conviction in the 1980s for attempted murder in connection with a severe robbery. Over the years, the man amassed a staggering 17 convictions, including theft and drug trafficking.
No Treachery Charged
Unlike the prosecution, the court did not recognize treachery as a mitigating factor in the murdered case. Presiding Judge Andreas Lauer explained that it was impossible to establish that the initial attack was from behind and, therefore, treacherous.
The woman (51) died at the scene of the attack, while the husband (40) succumbed to his injuries a day later in the hospital.
Defendant Denied the Crime
With no signs of forced entry, the police initially suspected that the victim and the perpetrator knew each other. The defendant was even questioned as a witness in 1996 due to a photo of him and the husband found in the apartment, as well as witness statements. Throughout the years, he consistently denied the crime, as he did during the recent trial.
The investigators eventually connected the trail of the defendant through regular processing of cold cases, unsolved old cases. Recent DNA evidence under the fingernails of the deceased and blood traces in a wallet left behind by the perpetrator were considered "central indications" by Judge Lauer. The defendant's explanation that the traces could have arisen at another time, due to his regular consumption of cocaine and heroin at his friend's house, was considered "unrealistic" by the judges. Their investigation also cast doubt upon his alleged alibi.
Late Justice for the Relatives
According to Rosetta Puma, who represented the 15-year-old daughter of the mother, the verdict brought great relief to the family. "After many years of uncertainty, the fact that the perpetrator was finally found and the verdict clearly established his guilt is a great satisfaction for her," she said after the session.
The trial has been emotionally taxing for all involved, as they were forced to relive the past and confront the years during which the perpetrator lived freely without consequence.
Volklingen Children Double murder Saarbrücken Life imprisonment Imprisonment Prosecution Decade DNA
- The controversy over the 70-year-old's sentencing for double murder in Volklingen stemmed from the court's decision not to impose a life sentence, despite his numerous employment policy violations, which included repeated convictions for crime-and-justice offenses like theft, drug trafficking, and murder.
- As the public prosecution and co-plaintiffs demanded a life sentence for the defendant, citing his particularly serious guilt and history of violence, issues related to employment policy and general-news reporting on the case have dominated the discussions in the war-and-conflicts and politics spheres.
