Overview
- Vienna police say a 19-year-old and a 45-year-old Ukrainian fled after a 21-year-old student was forced to give up wallet passwords and was later found burned in his Mercedes.
- Investigators report the assault began in the SO/Vienna hotel garage, where the victim was beaten, forced into his car, and driven to Donaustadt as attackers extracted access to two crypto accounts.
- Forensic findings indicate gasoline was used to ignite a fire inside the vehicle, a melted canister was recovered, and the autopsy points to suffocation or heatstroke with burns over about 80% of the body.
- Authorities identified the suspects via surveillance at the garage and a Wagramer Strasse gas station, tracked their border crossing at 9:07 a.m. the next day, and confirmed their arrest in Ukraine on November 29 with U.S. cash in hand.
- Police confirm the crypto accounts were drained, extradition to Austria will not occur, and analysts link the case to a 2025 rise in violent “wrench attacks” targeting crypto holders.