Overview

• Judges recognized the murder feature of treachery but accepted diminished capacity based on expert opinion, reducing the penalty below a life term.
• The 41-year-old admitted killing his former youth football coach in July 2023 with a splitting axe in the victim’s apartment, striking multiple times from behind.
• Prosecutors sought life imprisonment for murder citing treachery and base motives, while the defense argued for manslaughter and a 4.5-year sentence.
• The case was retried after the Bundesgerichtshof overturned a 2024 manslaughter verdict for legal errors.
• Court officials stated the ruling is not yet legally final, leaving scope for appellate review.