Arrest following discovery of woman's body in Vienna stairwell, Landstraße
A 35-year-old woman was found dead in a Vienna stairwell. Her 40-year-old partner admitted to having used blunt force.
Suspect admits violence following woman's death in Vienna old building
A 40-year-old man was arrested in Vienna on Saturday after his partner was found dead in a stairwell in the third district. According to diepresse.com, citing police, the man admitted to having used blunt force against the 35-year-old woman.
The woman was discovered unresponsive on the night of Friday in the ground floor of the old building in the Landstraße district with visible injuries – near the letterboxes. She bore bruises and injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.
The deceased was a woman from Eastern Europe who was not registered in Austria and lived in homelessness. She had met the suspect at Vienna's main railway station in summer and had since been living in his flat. The Romanian was in regular employment and had not previously come to police attention.
There were repeated arguments reportedly over the woman's alcohol consumption. A similar row is thought to have triggered the incident on the night in question. The altercation moved from the flat to the stairwell.
When emergency services arrived, the 40-year-old was standing alongside two other residents of the building at the scene. Police spokesman Philipp Haßlinger said the man had appeared visibly nervous and agitated. Initially questioned as a witness, he was taken in for questioning and arrested at the premises of the Vienna State Criminal Police Office.
An autopsy, scheduled to take place over the weekend, must establish whether the woman died from blows or from a fall. Additionally, a toxicological report has been commissioned. The Vienna State Criminal Police Office, Life Crimes Investigation Area (Baumgartner Group), is investigating the precise circumstances of the incident.
Eighteen femicides have already been recorded in Austria this year, in which women were allegedly killed by men from their family or social circle. The association Autonome Österreichische Frauenhäuser additionally counts 45 serious acts of violence against women.
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Support services: - Women's helpline: 0800 222 555 (free, 24/7) - Victim hotline: 0800 112 112 (anonymous, legal and crisis counselling)
Source: Google News AT — Crime (de)