15 years in prison

While he stabbed his wife: “You wanted it that way”

The accused had to stand trial at Wels Regional Court(Bild: © Harald Dostal / 2024, Krone KREATIV)

"I just wanted to hurt her, like she wanted to hurt me." With these words, 66-year-old Erich R. tried to explain why he stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife in Laakirchen on October 31 of the previous year. The lay judges at the regional court in Wels did not believe him: 15 years in prison, not legally binding.

The accused and his later victim met at a health resort in 2006 and were married in 2016. Both the former army officer and his wife spoke of a harmonious marriage - until that fateful October 31. The day before, the wife's elderly father was a guest in the couple's apartment, they ate and played cards - as they had done many times before.

Dispute over car escalated
In the afternoon, Erich R. and the senior citizen began to argue about his car and the defendant became verbally abusive. His wife wanted him to make amends in the form of an apology, but he refused.

Threatened suicide
At breakfast the next morning, the discussion about the apology is said to have continued, and the victim described what happened in the interrogation as follows: "My husband got up and went to the bathroom, then sat down on the couch opposite me. He took his cell phone, called the ambulance and said that he was about to kill himself with 30 pills."

Stabbed indiscriminately
When the 60-year-old woman was not impressed, Erich R. got up and went into the kitchen. When he returned, he grabbed her by the chest and began stabbing her in the chest and shoulder area with a knife. He is said to have said "You wanted it that way, you're not taking anything away from me".

I reached into the drawer at random, I could have used a butter knife. It was only when I stabbed him that I thought 'Oh, I shouldn't have taken that knife'.

Erich R., Angeklagter

Perpetrator claims blackout
The woman fought back violently, at some point the accused let go of her, sat down on the couch and dressed a cut on his finger. He repeatedly spoke of a blackout, the expert witness said that there were no substances in his blood that would have affected him. The psychiatric expert also came to the conclusion that he was fully sane at the time of the crime.

Knife with a 15 cm long blade
The stabbing victim was still able to call for help on her cell phone and the defendant was arrested in the apartment without resistance. The judge wanted to know why exactly he had taken this knife with the 15 cm long blade. "I reached into the drawer at random, I could have taken a butter knife. It was only when I stabbed him that I thought 'Oh, I shouldn't have taken that knife'".

15 years in prison
The jury did not believe that he only wanted to hurt his wife. Erich R. was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the verdict is not yet final.