Identity still unclear

Hiker finds burnt body in Vienna’s Hernals district

Alarm at the Vienna police: on Sunday, a burnt corpse was found by a passer-by in a remote wooded area in Hernals. The investigation is in full swing. However, initial evidence points to an accident or an act of desperation.

The body is said to be that of a woman. "Due to the severe burns, the identity of the deceased could not yet be determined", the Vienna Police Department announced on Monday. However, a container with personal belongings was recovered. However, there was nothing in it that could indicate the identity of the person.

Police are looking for witnesses
An arson detection dog from the police dog unit assisted in the investigation at the scene of the discovery. So far there are no known witnesses to the incident. However, the finder of the body is probably in great shock. He had discovered the woman in the middle of the forest, off the footpath.

Autopsy of the body ordered
"The Vienna State Office of Criminal Investigation is currently conducting a comprehensive investigation to clarify the identity and the circumstances", said the officials. An autopsy of the body has already been ordered by the Vienna public prosecutor's office. The police are investigating in all directions, with suspicions of murder, suicide and an accident all being raised. However, initial evidence did not point to murder, but to an accident or an act of desperation.

Several alarming deaths
This year, there have already been several alarming deaths in and around Vienna: On January 13, an angler had discovered human remains in the Marchfeld Canal in the Schwarzlackenau area. It turned out that the victim was a 45-year-old man from Hietzing. The man had been reported missing to the police since November 15. A suspect (38) is already in custody.

Body discovered in the New Danube
In addition, another body was discovered in the New Danube by a walker on January 24. It was a man whose identity could not yet be determined.

Incidentally, the area where the burnt body was discovered has a sinister history: Jack Unterweger used to dump women's bodies in the area.