The Austrian police, after intense searches lasting several days, announced on Saturday November 2, 2024 that they had found the body of the alleged murderer of two people, including the mayor of a town. Epilogue to a soap opera that kept the Alpine country in suspense.
The body of the 56-year-old suspect “was discovered at midday”declared the deputy director of the regional police, Rudolf Keplinger, during a press conference in Linz (north-east of the country).
“The circumstances suggest that he committed suicide”he clarified, saying to himself “personally relieved despite the death toll of three”in the end, of this story.
Exceptional operation
Mr. Keplinger called the operation “exceptional” the searches which have mobilized hundreds of police officers since Monday, supported by helicopters and drones.
The suspect's vehicle was located Friday in a forest in Upper Austria (north), not far from the scene of the crimes believed to be linked to a dispute over hunting.
The police then found the lifeless body of the fifty-year-old whose identity was confirmed by the analysis of his fingerprints. An autopsy was ordered to confirm the causes of death.
Two deaths
In the space of an hour and a half, he is suspected of having killed on Monday morning the mayor of the town of Kirchberg ob der Donau, located near the border with Germany and the Czech Republic, then a former head of hunting. Both victims were 64 years old.
The armed suspect then fled and the police lost track of him, before finding his car. Around fifty people from his entourage, mainly hunters, had been placed under protection.
