Life imprisonment

German trio tortured roommate (21) to death

In Cologne, a 21-year-old woman was brutally murdered by her flatmates four years ago. The verdict against her tormentors was handed down on Monday (symbolic image).

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

Three Germans were sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday for beating and torturing their 21-year-old roommate to death over a period of days. A fourth defendant received four and a half years in prison. The others had "manipulated and incited" him, it was said.

The case took place back in 2020. A year earlier, a now 35-year-old woman and her German-Italian partner had moved into the Cologne apartment of the later victim and a 28-year-old man. The two had "taken more and more control." In spring 2020, the now 32-year-old sister of the 35-year-old finally moved in after losing her apartment in Gelsenkirchen due to rent arrears.

Denied beatings, drink and food
A "climate of hatred" had developed and the 28-year-old co-defendant had been incited against his partner. According to the indictment, the four roommates beat the 21-year-old with a dog leash and kicked her with steel-toed boots, among other things. She was also denied food and drink, the judges said. In addition, she was only allowed to go to the toilet with the permission of her tormentors.

The chamber is horrified that people can think up such acts of violence and put them into practice.

Vorsitzende Richterin

Help came too late
"The fact that people think up such acts of violence and put them into practice fills the chamber with horror," said the presiding judge on Monday. Following a tip-off from an acquaintance, the young woman was freed from the apartment and taken to hospital. However, she succumbed to her injuries there at the beginning of July 2020.

The Cologne Regional Court sentenced two tormentors and one tormentor to life imprisonment for cruel murder. The victim's former partner, who has significantly impaired intelligence, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm. The court also ordered preventive detention for the 35-year-old and the 31-year-old because they had already been convicted of similar acts of violence in December 2022. The verdict is not final.