Woman killed in Graz suffered severe head injuries

The 24-year-old woman killed in central Graz died from severe injuries to the head, according to an autopsy that found “massive force against the head,” the Graz public prosecutor’s office said.

The suspected weapon remains undisclosed. The Kronen Zeitung reported that the woman may have been beaten to death with a hammer by the 23-year-old brother of her partner. Christian Kroschl, a spokesman for the Graz prosecutors, declined to comment on the report.

The suspect faced a mandatory hearing on Saturday, when authorities were also expected to decide whether to order pretrial detention. During earlier questioning, he gave no information about any of the allegations. Prosecutors are investigating him on suspicion of murder, and he was taken to Graz-Jakomini prison on Friday.

Police received a call shortly after 12:40 p.m. on Thursday about violence in an apartment in central Graz. Officers found the woman there, and she died at the scene from her injuries. Investigators from the Styrian State Criminal Police Office took over the case, while specialists secured evidence to reconstruct what happened.

Investigators believe the woman was alone in the apartment when the suspect apparently forced his way inside. Her partner, the suspect’s brother, was reportedly not at home. A newspaper report pointed to a long-running conflict, but authorities have released no further official information about a possible motive.

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massive force against the head