Overview
- The defendant, who spoke Thursday, largely admitted the prosecution’s account, said he killed two neighbors with a hammer and dismembered a third, and asked the victims’ families for forgiveness.
- He told the court he drank heavily and used multiple drugs, described a chaotic childhood and periods of homelessness and prison, and repeatedly said he has memory gaps about some events.
- Prosecutors say multiple aggravated murder features apply: treachery (Heimtücke) in all three counts, killing to satisfy sexual desire for the two women, and cruelty or concealment in the other counts.
- Judge, lawyers and witnesses used a virtual‑reality headset to inspect the Zwiesel apartment scene, the court has set further hearings, and a verdict could be handed down on November 19, 2026.
- Under German law Heimtücke is a qualifying element that raises the gravity of a murder conviction, meaning courts and experts will examine intent, mental state and the defendant’s drug‑use claims closely ahead of sentencing.