Ex-boyfriend of beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper 'admits killing her' says his lawyer Astrid Wagner, who represented Josef Fritzl
The lawyer who once represented Josef Fritzl is now defending an ex-boyfriend who is suspected of killing an Austrian influencer - and says he cried that he loved her and does not know why he did it.
The custody hearing for the suspect, named only as Patrick M., 31, due to strict local privacy laws, took place with lawyer Astrid Wagner present as his counsel at the Regional Criminal Court in the city of Graz, in the Austrian state of Styria, on December 1.
Wagner said her client is “completely broken”, claims he loved victim Stefanie Pieper “infinitely” and insists he cannot explain the killing, which he has admitted.
According to Wagner, he told her he was shocked when he saw Stefanie lying motionless and denied wanting to kill her, saying it happened in a jealous row inside her ground-floor flat.
Investigators said Stefanie, 32, returned from a Christmas party at around 7 am on Sunday, November 23 and was strangled in her home shortly afterwards.
Police said the suspect packed her body in a suitcase, loaded it into his red Volkswagen Golf and drove it across the nearby border into Slovenia, where officers later found the body in a forest. An autopsy is due to determine the precise cause of death, and Patrick M. faces possible life imprisonment if convicted.
Stefanie had been missing for nearly a week after returning to her home in Graz, shortly after sending a WhatsApp to a friend saying there was a “dark figure” in the stairwell.
When she failed to attend a planned photoshoot, the photographer checked on her the following afternoon and reportedly found Patrick M. acting strangely and noticed what looked like bloodstains outside her flat before calling the police.
Neighbours said they heard a fierce row that morning, and her dog Marlow was found alone inside the flat, with her mobile phone later discovered in a bush near the building.
Slovenian police arrested Patrick M. after his red Golf was found burned out near a casino car park in Sentilj, and two of his relatives who were initially detained were later released.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed, saying: “It was me”, and told officers he buried the suitcase in woodland in Slovenia after the killing.
Prosecutors said the killing followed an argument after the end of the couple’s relationship, with neighbours describing frequent rows and Stefanie’s plans to move to a new flat. Stefanie, an influencer with around 48,000 followers, was growing successful as a make-up artist.
Meanwhile, her ex- boyfriend, who worked as a waiter and part-time security guard, was said by neighbours to have gambling issues that caused disputes.
Wagner said her client cries constantly in his cell and claims the killing happened in the heat of the moment, while investigations continue in both countries.
Story: Newsflash