Life in prison
Murder Trial in Vienna: 37-Year-Old Drowned in the Danube
On Wednesday, the murder trial against two men took place at the Vienna Regional Court; the men are accused of drowning a 37-year-old man in the New Danube nearly a year ago. A 46-year-old woman who was in a relationship with one of the two defendants testified as a witness. The three homeless men had spent several nights together on the Danube Island. While the woman was asleep, the men allegedly killed the 37-year-old man who had joined them. In the end, both men were convicted (the verdict is not yet final).
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen The body, floating in the water, was not discovered until several days later—on August 19, 2025—by a passerby. The passerby entered the water and pulled the lifeless body, which already showed clear signs of decomposition, into a cove and subsequently out of the water. A swimmer who noticed this alerted the police.
“It’s incomprehensible to me”
Her boyfriend at the time—a 44-year-old Polish man—had confessed to her to the extent that he told her his compatriot, who was one year younger, had “submerged the man in the water until he stopped breathing,” the witness stated. Her partner at the time had “wanted to help.” The fact that, according to the indictment, he did just that visibly affected the woman. “It’s inconceivable to me because I don’t really think he’s capable of it,” she struggled to find the words while on the witness stand. Her boyfriend had never been violent and had never raised a hand against her: “I’ve never seen him act aggressively.”
A Distressing Situation
The situation was “very distressing” for her, the woman concluded. She had “truly loved” the 44-year-old. The two Polish men had initially been drinking vodka and partying with the woman at her sleeping spot. The 37-year-old joined them. The three knew the Romanian man because he had often ridden by on a bicycle in the days leading up to the incident. Among other things, he brought the homeless man “a Gugelhupf,” as the 46-year-old recalled. According to her, she didn’t notice the Poles beating up the Romanian: “I was asleep at the time.”
Victim Initially Beaten Unconscious
As the prosecutor explained, the two defendants first beat the victim until he was unconscious. Then, according to the indictment, they dragged the 37-year-old from a bridge pier beneath the Nordbrücke along a Treppelweg to the Neue Donau and drowned him.
“They held their unconscious victim underwater until the man drowned,” the prosecutor told the jury. Afterward, the two men went to sleep. The defendants were arrested on August 23 and October 24, respectively.
Defendants Did Not Plead Guilty
The defendants did not admit to the charge of intentional homicide. The 44-year-old exercised his right to remain silent and did not answer any questions. The 43-year-old admitted to beating the victim and intentionally causing him serious injury. Regarding the events in and around the water, the 43-year-old explained that the first defendant had wanted to “wash” the unconscious man and had therefore “dragged him into waist-deep water.” Then the first defendant “held the victim underwater until he stopped moving.” They then went to sleep.
According to a forensic medical report, the body showed 14 lacerations and contusions to the head and skull, as well as bone fractures—including a broken nasal bone. He would have survived the injuries inflicted on him had he received prompt medical treatment. According to the report, the man “clearly” died by drowning, a process that likely took several minutes. The victim was likely no longer conscious when he went under.
Life Imprisonment
At the conclusion of the trial, both men were found guilty. The first defendant was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while the other was sentenced to life in prison due to his prior convictions. The verdict is not yet final.
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