A legally convicted murderer took off his ankle bracelets in Münster and fled shortly before he would have had to begin his custody. As a spokesman for the Münster police said, the man is now being sought. The police released photos and asked for clues.
Ralf H. was sentenced to life imprisonment in January of this year, 27 years after the violent death of then 16-year-old Nicole S. He was arrested in 2018 after a re-evaluation of DNA traces. It was about a flake of skin that was found on the corpse at the time. H. had attacked the 16-year-old in 1993 in a suburb of Dortmund for sexual reasons and strangled her. An initially scheduled court process could not be completed because of a sick judge.
After the judgment in January of this year, the Hamm Higher Regional Court had decided that the convicted person had to be released from the excessively long pre-trial detention pending a final judgment. From the point of view of the OLG, the regional court had allowed itself too much time between the two processes.
Because the judiciary saw no risk of escape, Ralf H. remained free after the guilty verdict and was given an ankle cuff. As a spokesman for the public prosecutor said, the judgment became final a few days ago after a decision by the Federal Court of Justice. The public prosecutor’s office was informed on Tuesday – whereupon they wanted to have the detention carried out.
According to the police, the 56-year-old took off his ankle bracelets on Tuesday evening at 8:10 p.m. in Münster and left his cell phone behind. In the search call it says: “The population is asked to help in the search for the fugitive.”
“A disaster” for the victim’s parents
Lawyer Arabella Pooth, who had represented Nicole S.’s parents as a joint plaintiff in court, told the German press agency: “It was clear that the man would not face his sentence.” The fact that he initially remained at large after the trial was legally possible, but wrong from their point of view. The fact that the man has now disappeared is “a catastrophe” for the victim’s parents and cannot be understood.
His defense lawyer Udo Vetter confirmed on Wednesday that he too had received the decision of the Federal Court of Justice. He doesn’t know any more at the moment. During the trial, the lawyer had always pointed out the weak evidence. Justice is not done when someone is judged. “The right person must also be judged,” said Vetter.