A trial began this last week in Hamburg for a man accused of brutally murdering his 100-year-old grandmother. The elderly woman, identified as Amalie G, a retired farm worker, was found dead in her apartment in the German city. The suspect, her 37-year-old grandson Artur B, was arrested in March following the gruesome incident.
Artur, who had a history of psychological issues and was under medication, had been caring for his grandmother, who was wheelchair-bound and suffered from dementia. After his arrest, he sought psychiatric help, claiming he was overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for his ailing grandmother.
However, a family member painted a different picture of Artur. The relative revealed that Amalie had often accused Artur, a former soldier, of stealing from her. The relative further stated that Artur was frequently unemployed and always short of money, leading other family members to distance themselves from him.
Artur’s arrest came after he himself contacted the police to report his crime. The autopsy report revealed that Amalie had been struck 16 times with an axe. In a futile attempt to defend herself, she had used a cordless vacuum cleaner. The fatal blow was one that severed her spinal cord.
A neighbor of the deceased woman shared that they had a good relationship prior to her death. The neighbor also revealed that Amalie had confided in her about Artur breaking into her apartment through the balcony with the intention to steal her money. Despite the frequent arguments between Artur and his grandmother, he regularly visited her apartment to care for her.
Speculation among relatives suggests that a disagreement over money may have escalated the situation on the night of the murder. After Artur reported his crime, police discovered an axe at the bloody crime scene.
Despite the horrific nature of the crime, the public prosecutor confirmed that Artur had no previous criminal record. Local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt reported that Artur was known to the police only for minor offenses, none of which were violent. Artur is expected to testify in court in Hamburg on Monday.