Shocking Unearthing: Bodies of Vanished Mum and Daughter Found in Freezing Units in Austria
The deceased of a 34-year-old woman and her 10-year-old daughter have been found inside freezing appliances in an residence in the western part of Austria.
The victims, a Syrian woman and her daughter, who had been missing for a number of months, were uncovered on Friday. The freezers were hidden behind a drywall partition in the dwelling, situated in the Innsbruck area.
Two men, a 55-year-old Austrian and his brother aged 53, were detained in the month of June. The elder brother, a work associate of the Syrian woman, informed police last week that there had been an incident—but disputed homicide.
Speaking to reporters previously, a spokesman for the state prosecutor stated the brothers were being held on "strong suspicion of homicide".
Personal details of those concerned have not been disclosed by police, in accordance with Austrian law.
Their going missing was initially flagged by the cousin of the mother, who resides in Germany, on the 25th of July last year.
Police said the woman's colleague claimed at the time she had taken an long journey with her daughter to travel to her relatives in the nation of Turkey.
The victim's bank card was then discovered to be utilized overseas on multiple occasions.
Yet when police entered the mother's apartment, her mobile phone was discovered.
Someone also claimed listening to a loud noise in the apartment, and screams of "mum" on the date the two were believed to have vanished.
A wider official inquiry was launched, with investigators uncovering several texts transmitted via the woman's phone—such as a notice of quitting to her workplace and communications to the 55-year-old suspect.
Law enforcement confirmed a amount in the thousands was also moved to the suspect.
A senior police official informed media representatives on Tuesday that a storage facility had been secured before the vanishing and a freezing appliance had been positioned inside.
The two suspects removed the appliance from the facility on the very day the mother and daughter disappeared, the official said. And a shortly afterward, they acquired an additional appliance.
Investigators say they think this points to the fatalities were planned in advance.
"How they died was not identifiable due to the advanced decay of the bodies," she commented.
Mayr—from the legal authorities—said the exact sequence of events is not yet known, but the bodies were carefully placed and were not found during a prior examination.
Although the suspects were detained in June, it was not until November 12 that the suspect acknowledged an incident and to concealing the remains. He rejects any intent to kill, officials said.
At the same time, his younger brother admitted to a attempt to hide evidence but denied awareness of a homicide.
The two suspects are presently in detention before court proceedings in jails in Innsbruck and Salzburg, situated at a distance.
In a joint statement, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister stated the "suspected killing of two... symbolizes the swift and cruel conclusion of two human lives and uncovers a cruel system".
"Females of all ages are being killed due to the sole reason that they are women and girls," they added.
"Gender-based killings are a deeply rooted and issue affecting all of society that we must combat firmly."