Trial Alleged triple murderer maintains his innocence in Zurich
The alleged triple murderer of Zurich and Laupen BE protested his innocence again on Thursday. However, the DNA traces speak a different language. The Zurich court is expected to hand down its verdict next week.
04.12.2025, 10:46
04.12.2025, 15:49
SDA
"I am here to prove my innocence", said the 47-year-old construction worker from Spain in a rambling closing statement. He had nothing to do with these three murders. The public prosecutor's office is trying to portray him as a bad person.
He knew that he could not please everyone, but he saw himself as a good person. "I have no psychopathic tendencies." The only thing he could be accused of was losing his ticket and then traveling by train without a ticket.
The man charged with three murders has three skulls tattooed on his body. However, he did not want to say when and why he had them tattooed. Although he seemed in control, his aggression flashed through again and again during the interviews.
DNA spread over scales
In his plea, his lawyer demanded a full acquittal. According to his lawyer, the fact that the man's DNA was found at both crime scenes was due to his skin disease: the accused suffers from psoriasis. When it is acute, he easily spreads his DNA in the form of dandruff to the surrounding area.
According to the lawyer, he had probably left the DNA at the crime scenes on previous occasions. After all, the murdered psychologist was his former therapist and the murdered couple in Laupen were his former neighbors.
The defense's second theory is that someone else deliberately spread the accused's DNA at the crime scenes in order to incriminate him. One of the survivors' lawyers described these theories as "absurd".
DNA under the fingernails and on the cable tie
The public prosecutor also considers all of these explanations to be "unrealistic". DNA was found on the murder victims under their fingernails, on the cable ties used and on their trouser legs. He is calling for a life sentence and custody because he fears a risk of recidivism.
On Thursday, however, he withdrew his request for a twelve-year national reprimand. This is because the murders were committed in 2010 and 2015. Switzerland only introduced the automatic deportation of foreign criminals in 2016.
The scaffolder, who had been suffering from depression for years, allegedly killed a 56-year-old psychoanalyst in Zurich's Seefeld district with 14 stab wounds on December 15, 2010. Exactly five years later, he allegedly killed his former neighbors, an elderly couple, in Laupen with around 30 axe or hammer blows. In both cases, he is said to have wanted to steal valuables.
The Zurich District Court will open the verdict next Tuesday at 4 pm at the earliest. However, the court may then also decide to initiate further proceedings, such as questioning further witnesses or requesting expert opinions.
