Pensioner charged with 1985 murder of woman – DNA evidence after 41 years
A 70-year-old from Baden-Württemberg faces court proceedings after allegedly raping and killing a woman in 1985. DNA traces led investigators to the accused decades later.
Trial against alleged woman murderer in Ulm
The 70-year-old Armin H. was brought into the courtroom of Ulm Regional Court in a wheelchair at the beginning of this week. As BILD reports, the seriously ill pensioner is accused of raping 31-year-old Renate Borst in 1985 and subsequently running her over with his car. Semen traces from H. at the crime scene led investigators to the charge after more than four decades.
The body of the unemployed kitchen assistant was found on 10 March 1985 on a forest path near Deggingen. She was naked, her legs bound together with her bra. Chief prosecutor Andreas Kröner accuses the defendant of meeting Borst on 21 or 22 February 1985 in a bar in Göppingen or a disco in Eislingen. H. then took her with him in his car, forced her to have sex and covered up the act through extreme violence.
Just three weeks after the body was found, H. was questioned by police. Witnesses had reported that he had made advances towards Renate Borst shortly beforehand. H. denied any contact during the crime period at the time and explained that his pregnant wife could not find out that he had had an affair. An acquaintance of the victim subsequently reported H. for rape – he was convicted.
The investigation then lay dormant for years until DNA analysis methods improved. In 2022, the criminal police arranged a fresh swab from witnesses at the time. Following a genetic match, the special operations unit raided H. in Schwendi, found further evidence and arrested him.
At the start of proceedings, H. acknowledged meeting Renate Borst for the first time. He described the contact as an affair and denied using violence. She was "willing", according to his statement. He justified his earlier lies by saying that he feared his family could find out something. The regional court has scheduled six hearing days. Judge Wolfgang Tresenreiter plans to announce his verdict on 11 November.
Source: BILD