Far more alcohol

The secret report: Final act in the “Pilnacek case”

The watch (symbolic image) of the once powerful section chief now reveals more details about his tragic death.(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

818 days after the death of the once most powerful official in the republic, the final act in the "Pilnacek case" begins with the local inspection by the investigative committee on the Danube. However, the secret report by the judiciary on the last hours of the top lawyer's life is still missing – although the "Krone" newspaper has already had a look at the analysis of the much-cited smartwatch. And knows how much alcohol (more than previously assumed) was involved...

With a spotless record spanning more than 30 years, he was considered the most powerful official in the republic, not only in the judiciary – but pursued by the corruption hunters of the public prosecutor's office, his downfall followed in 2020 with his suspension and expulsion from the ministry, the elegant Palais Trautson in the heart of the city, the following year.

Conspiracy theories and myths surround the night of his death
Then, in the fall of 2023, came the shocking news. A few hours after a wrong-way drive on the Stockerau expressway in Lower Austria was stopped by the police, Christian Pilnacek was dead. He had drowned in a tributary of the Danube in the Wachau region. Since then, many myths and conspiracy theories have surrounded the death of the meticulous mind and architect of the last major criminal procedure code.

However, the fog surrounding the night of his death on October 20-21 more than two years ago is now clearing, shortly before the start of the U-Committee.

After driving under the influence, he drank half a bottle of Prosecco
Once again, a chronology of events:

• At 10:23 p.m., Pil, as he was nicknamed, was found to have a blood alcohol level of 1.44 during a sobriety check.

• At 11:41 p.m., his former employee and former girlfriend or roommate of his then partner picks him up from the police station in Tulln.

• Once in Wachau, the 60-year-old opens another bottle of Prosecco and drinks about half of it. At 1:07 a.m., he leaves his cell phone in the apartment and goes for another walk.

• At 7:30 a.m., his body is found by an excavator operator in a side arm of the Danube near Rossatz that is difficult to access.

• At 9:30 a.m., the local doctor confirms the death.

Insight into smartwatch analysis and explosive details
The "Krone" can now reveal the last secrets of the night of his death. First, there is the mystery surrounding his blood alcohol level. The autopsy actually found a significantly higher level than was detected during the check after the wrong-way drive, with two per mille (!) in his urine. This is a really high level, even for people who can hold their drink.

But what happened in the hours in between during the "walk" after leaving the apartment in Wachau? The log from the Samsung Galaxy 3 smartwatch, read by IT experts for the Eisenstadt public prosecutor's office, provides information.

The watch (symbolic image) of the once powerful section chief now reveals more details about his tragic death.(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Distinctive arm movements are not evidence of a struggle
And that's what the health data says. Measured distinctive hand movements begin 30 seconds to one and a half minutes (the barometer writes to the database once every minute) before the hand lands in the water. However, this is not evidence of a struggle – the most likely explanation is a fall or slip on the embankment leading to the Danube. This would also be consistent with the injuries found in the forensic report.

Smartwatch in "sleep mode" from 4 a.m., Pilnacek alone when he died
As a result, the watch is just under 70 centimeters underwater. Also conclusive: Pilnaceks body was recovered several meters from the shore. Between 1:45 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., the device switches to so-called swim mode. After that, the smartwatch measures the ambient pressure, which suggests that the hand or body was floating on the water. Shortly after 4 a.m., it entered "sleep mode."

In addition, no other computers or cell phones were connected via Bluetooth in the vicinity because the smartwatch was not actually transmitting much. This suggests that the top lawyer was alone when he died. And thus refutes accusations of sloppy police work or even a covered-up murder.

"Deleted data" file not manipulated
Another mystery surrounding a file named "Deleted Data" has also been solved. This is not evidence and is therefore irrelevant. And: if it had been manipulated, there would be a different timestamp. After an internal meeting with the experts, the prosecutor concludes: "Many explanations, but all unspectacular."

Only Christian Pilnacek's footprints can be found at the entry point to the side arm of the Danube.

ÖVP-Fraktionsführer Andreas Hanger

Bild: APA/EVA MANHART

ÖVP faction leader Andreas Hanger, who has experience with the U-Committee, also takes this line: "The available investigation files clearly show that only Christian Pilnacek's footprints were found at the entry point into the side arm of the Danube." Furthermore, the autopsy revealed no evidence of foul play. The Ministry of Justice also had no initial suspicion of a criminal offense.

"Irrelevant for the U-Committee"
The conclusion of the black grandee: "Whether the death of the section chief was ultimately an accident, a suicide, or a combination of both is irrelevant for the criminal assessment, but also for the investigation committee's review of the investigation."

Now the anxiety about the chats begins
Nevertheless, things could still get uncomfortable for the People's Party. This is because not only health data was evaluated via smartwatch, but also the chats in the days, weeks, and months before the death of the once most powerful official in the republic. This is a godsend, especially for the FPÖ and the Greens. The messages apparently also concern possible interventions, which Pilnacek had discussed with two acquaintances in a conversation secretly recorded on tape in a bar in downtown Vienna.

Last text message: "I can't take it anymore"
In the recording, the ex-top lawyer, who was clearly deeply hurt by his downfall, talks about influence peddling: "The real problem is that people are demanding things that are not possible. They are demanding that I drop the investigation. I can't do that, I won't do that." His last text message to a friend on that tragic night, immediately after his driver's license was revoked, is also known: "I can't go on."