New details

Cemetery murder: 64-year-old woman was a random victim

The crime scene at the cemetery in Vienna's Penzing district(Bild: Zwefo)

Following the gruesome bloody crime in a Vienna cemetery, in which a 64-year-old visitor was killed with a knife, further dramatic details have now come to light. The alleged perpetrator, a 14-year-old girl, used a pocket knife to commit the crime. The possibility of a robbery gone wrong seems increasingly unlikely.

As the "Krone" newspaper learned, the 14-year-old suspect did not know her victim. It was apparently a pure and terrible coincidence that the 64-year-old woman caught the teenager's eye on Monday afternoon at the Baumgarten cemetery in Penzing. During hours of questioning throughout the night, the girl confessed but was unable to give a reason for the crime. It is said to have been "pure pleasure in killing." A psychiatric evaluation will likely be ordered. Whether the 14-year-old was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time is currently under investigation.

Numerous knife wounds
It has also been revealed that the bloody deed was committed with a pocket knife that the alleged perpetrator had with her. The suspect stabbed her victim more than five times. The woman died.

The crime scene at the cemetery in Vienna's Penzing district(Bild: Zwefo)

Some time later, another cemetery visitor discovered the body and, in shock, rushed into the undertaker's office at the cemetery at around 5:20 p.m. "We immediately said we had to call the emergency services," undertaker Arthur Altbart told the "Krone" newspaper. The emergency services were then alerted. 

"Calmly asked for a cigarette"
The teenager was apprehended by the police in the vicinity of the crime scene. "The teenager appeared completely emotionless," said Altbart, showing no remorse. "She calmly asked for a cigarette." The girl has been living in a supervised residential facility near the cemetery since November of last year.

She appeared completely emotionless and showed no remorse.

Bestatter Arthur Altbart über die junge Verdächtige

Bild: Zwefo

The 14-year-old's mother had handed over custody to child and youth services (MA 11). "She said she couldn't cope with her at home anymore and agreed to her being cared for in the shared apartment," reported spokeswoman Ingrid Pöschmann from MA 11. However, the girl had never come to the attention of the police before.

Psychiatric treatment, medication
"The issue with her was exclusively self-harming behavior," said Pöschmann. As a result, the Austrian girl had been in psychiatric treatment several times and had also had to take medication. "The children in this shared apartment all have psychiatric diagnoses," said the spokeswoman.

However, there is particularly close supervision in this shared accommodation, which is designed for four people. "There are four adults on duty every day," explained the spokeswoman. The staff work closely with the City of Vienna's psychosocial service and child and adolescent psychiatric services. A psychiatric day clinic is closely linked to the shared accommodation.

The residents and staff are still in shock. "A psychologist is currently on site to provide support to the children and staff," explained Pöschmann. "Of course, everyone needs time to process what has happened."