Jealousy and wounded honor cited in German murder trial

A trial has begun at the Ellwangen Regional Court for a 37-year-old man accused of murdering his wife with a gunshot to the head. The prosecution alleges the killing, which took place on the 18th birthday of the couple's eldest son, was motivated by jealousy and a wounded sense of honor. The court is operating under a significant security presence due to fears of potential escalations between the victim's and the accused's families.

According to the indictment, the accused allegedly shot his 38-year-old wife at close range, between 40 to 50 centimeters, with a pistol in the forehead in Schrozberg (Schwäbisch Hall district) last February. Prosecutors contend that the man felt his honor was insulted by his wife's behavior and sought to restore it through murder.

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40 to 50 centimeters

The accused reportedly lay in wait for his wife on a fire escape behind their jointly operated döner kebab shop on February 10th. As she was leaving the shop to ascend to their apartment, the defendant allegedly fired from an elevated position with a Walther PPK pistol. The victim succumbed to her severe injuries at the scene.

Both the accused and his wife are reportedly from the same village in Turkey and belong to the Kurdish ethnic group. The defendant holds both German and Turkish citizenship. The couple had three children, aged 9, 16, and 18. The parents and siblings of the deceased are participating in the trial as co-plaintiffs, while the children will testify as witnesses.

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very emotional