Life sentence for fatal hammer attack on ex-girlfriend

A German court has sentenced a 70-year-old man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his ex-partner. The Landgericht Bad Kreuznach found the man guilty of murder and robbery resulting in death, a court spokesperson announced.

The court also determined the particular severity of the crime, making parole after 15 years of imprisonment highly unlikely. The verdict is not yet legally binding.

The man is accused of killing the 66-year-old woman in October 2025 in Bad Kreuznach, just days after she ended their decade-long relationship. The couple had reportedly planned for the man to move out of the woman's apartment.

Prosecutors allege that on the day of the murder, the man attacked the woman in her home's basement. He is said to have repeatedly struck her with a hammer and a pipe wrench, causing severe head trauma and multiple facial bone fractures. The victim died shortly after the assault.

Following the attack, the man is accused of stealing the woman's car keys and bank card from her apartment. He then allegedly used the card to withdraw money from an ATM.