70-year-old man stabbed to death

Murder in Vienna city center: 70-year-old man killed

There is a constant coming and going in the house. Neighbors had not noticed any violent confrontation.

(Bild: Zwefo/Krone KREATIV)

No news from a 70-year-old Viennese man for days - his friends were worried. When officers opened the door on Thursday, they found the Swiss restaurateur dead. He had been the victim of a brutal attack. On Friday evening, the police were finally able to arrest a 26-year-old suspect (from Afghanistan). 

According to a police statement, the 26-year-old is a former roommate of the murder victim. The young man is strongly suspected of having inflicted several massive stab wounds on the 70-year-old. This is confirmed by the preliminary autopsy report. 

Suspect confesses
During initial questioning, the 26-year-old man basically confessed to the officers, but is said to have made confusing statements. Further investigations into his person and motive are currently underway.

Suspect legally in Austria
It also emerged that the stateless man from Afghanistan had been living with the pensioner in his apartment since 2018. He had also been registered there, was legally resident in Austria and held a so-called convention passport, said police spokeswoman Anna Gutt.

However, the 26-year-old had been deregistered from the 70-year-old's home address since the beginning of September.

The anonymity of the big city: a tragedy took place behind this apartment door in the apartment building on Rabensteig - and nobody noticed.

(Bild: Zwefo)

Arrest in Simmering
The arrest took place on Friday in the early afternoon in the Simmering district, on the street, reported Gutt. The interrogations were to continue on Saturday, an interpreter was called in, it was said.

Friends of the murder victim were worried because they had not heard from the 70-year-old Viennese man for days. On Thursday, they wanted to check for themselves and went to his apartment in the sleepy little street on Rabensteig.

Friends alerted the police
But the ringing and knocking at Top 26 on the fourth floor of the well-kept apartment building went unanswered. The police were finally called. The door had to be forced open - and the worst fears came true!

Murder victim ran restaurant
The 70-year-old, who until recently had run a small restaurant behind St. Stephen's Cathedral, lay lifeless in the apartment. He had succumbed to his serious injuries. As there were no signs of forced entry on the front door, the detectives assume that the victim let his future murderer into his home himself. The neighbors are shocked. However, the residents at the posh city address hardly know each other.

There is a constant coming and going here. Many apartments are sublet or offered as vacation accommodation via Airbnb.

Mitbewohner

Apartment rentals as a security risk
"There is a constant coming and going here. Many apartments are sublet or offered as vacation accommodation via Airbnb. I constantly see people coming in and out with suitcases and then ask what they're doing here," explains a man who has lived in the building for some time.

However, the victim's apartment was not an Airbnb apartment. He had not noticed any violent confrontation.