Case with “file number XY”
Man almost beaten to death 37 years ago – now the police are hoping for new clues
In 1986, there was an attempted homicide in downtown Cologne. The police are hoping for new clues through a call on the program “Case number XY…unsolved”. (symbolic photo)
© Imago Images
In June 1986, construction workers found a seriously injured man in a shell of a building in Cologne. He was brutally beaten and robbed. But he can’t remember the crime. A call on the show “Case number XY…unsolved” is intended to help solve the case.
It was June 14, 1986, when construction workers found a man covered in blood in a shell of a building on Ehrenstrasse in downtown Cologne on that Saturday morning. His skull was bashed in with a scaffolding pole and his valuables were stolen. Doctors save his life in a hospital, but he barely remembers the crime. He still suffers from the consequences of the attack to this day.
The evening before, the then 29-year-old had traveled to Cologne with a carpool from the Attendorn prison for a weekend prison break. The homosexual man appeared on Saturday at 1 a.m. with a previously unknown companion in the former “Hotel TimP”, an establishment that was long considered a Cologne scene meeting place and where drag shows were performed every night. The later victim’s companion is said to have been a “hustler” who was not a regular guest at the hotel, but was said to have frequented there often. He is said to have negotiated a room for a week in the restaurant. She is still looking to this day Police found the man, who was said to be around 25 years old at the time. It is unclear whether he is the perpetrator or a witness.
The two are said to have left the well-known trendy meeting point at Heumarkt around 3:40 a.m. Where? That too is unclear.
Cold case from Cologne on Wednesday topic at “File number XY
The fact is: When the construction workers found the seriously injured man covered in blood and leaning against the wall of the shell of the building, a reddish leather jacket, his wallet, a gold Kent wristwatch with the engraving “August 7, 1977 Manfred” and a gold ring were missing. To date, the police have not managed to solve the case. A call on the ZDF program “Aktenzeichen XY…unsolved” on Wednesday (March 27th, 8:15 p.m.) should help. Cold case investigator Markus Weber and his team hope for information from the public and ask:
- Who saw the 29-year-old and his companion on the night of the crime?
- Who can provide information about the crime?
Although more than 37 years have now passed since the crime, the investigators hope that the call will provide new clues. “There is always a chance of this happening, as experience has shown us so far,” explains a police spokeswoman when asked star and in this context refers to the case of Petra N, who was killed in 1988. This cold case was also the topic of “Aktenzeichen XY” in December 2022. During the broadcast, a viewer came forward and identified himself as a witness from the night of the crime. After more than three decades, he provided the crucial clue that put investigators on the trail of the perpetrator. On March 1st of this year, the now 57-year-old was sentenced to life in prison.
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Sources:Cologne Police, Cologne City Gazette, Cologne Express, t-online.de, Police NRW