Overview
- The 52-year-old defendant is on trial in Munich for murder and five counts of attempted murder stemming from a March 2025 killing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and a subsequent fire.
- Prosecutors say he bludgeoned longtime friend Axel S. with a stone tealight holder and then set the apartment ablaze to destroy evidence, endangering other residents.
- The accused had stopped taking prescribed medication for bipolar disorder years earlier, according to investigators, and he told the court through counsel that he has no memory of the act and feels remorse.
- Police arrested him at his home with a special unit after he fled the scene, and proceedings are underway at the Landgericht München II.
- A verdict is expected in early February, and potential outcomes include a prison sentence or long-term psychiatric commitment.