Rhineland-Palatinate
Act of violence in Montabaur: investigations continue
The SEK is discussing preparations for access in Montabaur. photo
© Sascha Ditscher/dpa
Shock in Montabaur in the Westerwald: According to initial investigations, a 37-year-old killed three family members and then shot himself in the head, according to police. There are still many open questions about the crime.
After the violent act in Rhineland-Palatinate Montabaur, with several family members killed, the police investigation continues today.
Among other things, it is likely to be about the specific background to the crime. On Thursday evening, several coffins were removed from the crime scene. “The investigation into the exact course of the terrible event, the possible motive and the exact background to the crime continues at full speed,” the public prosecutor’s office announced on Thursday.
Man kills father, wife and child
According to the information, a 37-year-old man is said to have killed his father, his wife and their son early on Thursday morning. According to dpa information, investigators assume that the victims were shot.
“According to current knowledge, the background to the crime was probably family disputes. The perpetrator and victim lived in the same property,” the prosecution in Koblenz said. The public prosecutor spoke of intentional killing of the 68-year-old father, the 39-year-old woman and their three-year-old son.
The judiciary is conducting an investigation against the German national on strong suspicion of manslaughter. According to the investigation, the suspected perpetrator is said to have shot himself in the head. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries – according to the public prosecutor’s office, he was diagnosed as brain dead on Thursday.
Investigations will take time
Initially, the focus was on securing traces and evidence at the crime scene by officers from the Koblenz Criminal Directorate in order to be able to reconstruct the course of the crime as accurately as possible, said senior public prosecutor Mario Mannweiler. “There is currently no evidence that other people were involved in the crime.” The investigation will therefore take some time.
After an initial indication of the violent act, the police cordoned off the crime scene on Thursday. The officers initially negotiated for several hours with the alleged perpetrator, who had barricaded himself in the house. According to the public prosecutor’s office, the 37-year-old shot himself in the head around midday. Investigators found the three lifeless victims in the house.