Twelve-year sentence for murder case involving body found in suitcase

A Stuttgart court has sentenced a 51-year-old man to twelve years in prison for killing a 39-year-old acquaintance. The man was convicted of manslaughter after the discovery of the victim's decomposed body in a suitcase in Filderstadt last August.

The victim's remains were found by hikers in a dry creek bed under a bridge. Due to the summer heat, the body was heavily decomposed and partially skeletonized, complicating the investigation. Prosecutors had sought a 14-year sentence.

Investigators identified the accused and the victim as having met in Stuttgart's drug scene several weeks before her disappearance. The woman had been reported missing on July 21, 2025, with her body discovered approximately one month later.

Despite the conviction, many central questions remain unanswered, including the exact cause of death and the motive behind the crime. The defendant reportedly maintained in his final statement that he did not know the victim.