An Austrian court has sentenced a 33-year-old Hungarian man to life in prison for the 2024 murder of his former girlfriend,a case highlighting the ongoing issue of gender-based violence and its international reach. The verdict, delivered according to reporting from Salzburg.orf, is not yet legally binding. The man was found guilty of shooting the woman after a meeting to exchange belongings,months after their relationship ended. The case involved an international inquiry spanning Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands.
An Austrian court has sentenced a 33-year-old Hungarian man to life in prison for the 2024 murder of his former girlfriend, according to Salzburg.orf. The verdict is not yet legally binding.
The man, who had been living in Austria since 2019 and working as a chef in the Pinzgau region, began a relationship with a 34-year-old German woman earlier this year. The pair broke up in the autumn, reportedly at the woman’s initiative.
The two agreed to meet in Maria Alm in May 2025 to exchange personal belongings. Following their exchange in a parking lot, the Hungarian man shot the woman, authorities said.
After the shooting, the man traveled by rental car to Munich, Germany, and then boarded a train heading to the Netherlands. He was apprehended by police five days after the murder in a shop in Utrecht. The case highlights the ongoing issue of gender-based violence and its international reach.
During questioning, the man claimed to be suffering from mental health issues, stating he was schizophrenic and experiencing auditory hallucinations. However, a psychiatric evaluation determined he was fully accountable for his actions at the time of the killing. The assessment described him as intensely jealous and easily offended, and concluded the murder was premeditated, not a crime of passion.
In court, the man stated he had no recollection of what he said to the woman, only remembering pulling the trigger. He claimed he felt compelled to use the legally-owned firearm in self-defense. He offered a confession during the trial.
Evidence presented at the trial revealed the victim had filed a police report against the man in 2024, alleging threats and property damage. In December 2024, he sent her a text message threatening to ruin her life. The police investigation was ultimately closed due to a lack of concrete evidence regarding the threats and the inability to prove the property damage.
