Voices merely invented

Fire set in dormitory: Voices just made up?

The 23-year-old Viennese at his trial in the Vienna regional court.

(Bild: Sophie Pratschner, Krone KREATIV)

At the end of November, flames blazed in a Viennese residential home for the mentally ill - a 68-year-old woman succumbed to smoke inhalation on site. The arsonist (23) spoke of voices that had ordered him to set the fire. It was all an act, according to a psychiatric report. He is perfectly sane and must now serve 13 years in prison.

"Imagine you are a caregiver in a residential home. In the middle of the night, the fire alarm suddenly goes off and you assume it's a rehearsal. A resident of the facility stands in front of you and screams: There's a fire!", the prosecutor vividly describes to the jury. "What sounds like a nightmare to you now actually happened to a Viennese care worker and many residents."

 "All help came too late for one resident"
On the night of November 26-27, 2023, a devastating fire broke out in a residential home run by the LOK - Leben ohne Krankenhaus - association in the 23rd district. With enormous smoke and soot development, as an expert reports. "For one resident, all help came too late", the prosecutor records the sad fate of a 68-year-old woman. She died of smoke inhalation.

One murder, five attempted murders
According to the public prosecutor's office, there is one person responsible for the death: A 23-year-old former resident of the facility for the mentally ill, who set fire to a jacket in the building on the night of the fire. In the large jury courtroom of the Vienna Provincial Court, he now has to face an extensive murder charge - one completed, five attempted ...

His life wasn't actually easy from the start. He has been undergoing medical or therapeutic treatment since birth.

Verteidigerin im Wiener Landesgericht

Why? The young Viennese speaks of voices that told him to set himself on fire. He has suffered from various illnesses since childhood - epilepsy, autism and later a combined personality disorder. "His life wasn't actually easy right from the start. He has been under medical or therapeutic treatment since birth." This was compounded by alcohol, drugs and finally hearing voices in his youth. 

The 23-year-old Viennese at his trial in the Vienna Regional Court.

(Bild: Sophie Pratschner, Krone KREATIV)

Insanity just an act?
For observers, everything seems to point to insanity. However, the expert, psychiatrist Peter Hofmann, states in his expert opinion. Despite having a personality disorder, the 23-year-old knew exactly what he was doing when he set fire to the jacket in the hostel. He was perfectly sane and the voices were purely a protective claim. He also maintained this version before the judge.

So the question of why remains for the prosecutor: "If it wasn't the voices, I'm sure you're right to ask yourself what the motive is," she addresses the jury - "I don't have a satisfactory answer to that at the moment."

Court psychiatrist Peter Hofmann certifies the defendant's sanity. The jury agrees.

(Bild: Groh Klemens)

Inner voices judged to be a protective allegation
In any case, it was not the voices, although court psychiatrist Peter Hofmann admits: "I am not denying that the defendant hears voices from time to time. What I am saying is that there is no schizophrenic development." Rather, it could be hallucinations after excessive alcohol consumption - the man with four previous convictions has been drinking regularly since he was 15 years old. According to Hofmann, however, this does not make him insane. However, due to his "complex overall disorder", he is dangerous and a case for placement. 

And the jury agreed: Although they denied the murder charges, they found the 23-year-old to be sane. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison for arson resulting in death, as well as placement in a forensic therapy center. The verdict is not final.