Sixfold murder in Stade: suspect dies by suicide in prison, trial at risk

With the death of the alleged perpetrator in prison, the murder trial threatens to be canceled. Nevertheless, authorities continue to investigate two women.

29 July 2026 | 10:50 Uhr

Six people were killed here: the crime scene in Stade on June 30. Photo: Kai Moorschlatt/dpa

dpa | Survivors hope for a trial, politicians demand clarification of the circumstances of the suspect's death, and the public prosecutor's office is investigating two women for murder – one month after the horrific act in Stade, many questions remain unanswered.

"Everything is open, I cannot make any promises about whether charges will be filed," says Julia Pirk, spokesperson for the Stade Public Prosecutor's Office. "On a human level, I can understand that very well."

Ongoing Investigation of Two Women

The 34-year-old mother of the child and the 65-year-old driver of the getaway car remain under suspicion of being involved in the act.

"We are in the investigation phase; accused individuals in criminal proceedings do not have to make statements," Pirk explained. The 65-year-old is not reachable for the media, but she is for the authorities.

Autopsy Results Pending

The public prosecutor's office is currently awaiting the results of the autopsy of the 45-year-old suspect. He is said to have strangled himself with outer clothing on July 21 in the Bremervörde prison.

"We have to determine whether it is a suicide. So far, we have no indications to the contrary," said Pirk. Possible prior convictions in Turkey are taking a back seat because investigations are not conducted against deceased individuals.

Who Caused the Infant's Brain Hemorrhage?

Meanwhile, the Hanover Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating who was responsible for the infant's brain hemorrhage prior to the act with six deaths in the mother-child facility.

A medical report from a special expert in North Rhine-Westphalia is not expected until the end of August at the earliest. It is intended to clarify whether the injury resulted from shaken baby syndrome.

"We are having this checked based on the medical reports; that is mandatory," said prosecutor Oliver Eisenhauer in Hanover.

In a letter from the 65-year-old – allegedly the baby's godmother – an accident is mentioned. Following the father's death, it is now also being investigated whether the mother may have been responsible for the incident. Subsequently, custody was removed from both, and the 34-year-old lived with the infant in the facility in Stade.

In the case of mistreatment of wards, charges or even an arrest warrant could follow. Investigations against the suspect with a Turkish passport for threatening doctors have been dropped.

Calls for Review of Prison Death

Victim's lawyer Steffen Hörning and politicians are calling for a review of the death in prison. He is convinced that it was wrong to relax the detention conditions for the alleged perpetrator. He had already shown himself to be highly manipulative in the past.

The 45-year-old was initially under special observation, which was gradually relaxed based on a psychologist's assessment and finally completely lifted.

Hörning, who represents two surviving families, points to the difficulty of coping with the events without a murder trial: "There, they want to give their family member a face, to talk about him."

According to the lawyer, the survivors now hope that evidence will ultimately be found that the two women were involved in the act and will be charged.