🔗 Share this article

The deceased of a mother aged 34 and her 10-year-old daughter have been located inside freezers in an residence in the western part of Austria.

The deceased, a woman from Syria and her child, who had been unaccounted for for several months, were uncovered on the end of last week. The freezers were placed behind a false wall in the dwelling, located in the Innsbruck area.

Two individuals, a Austrian man, 55 and his 53-year-old brother, were detained in June. The elder brother, a work associate of the female victim, informed authorities last week that there had been an incident—but disputed murder.

Speaking to reporters recently, a official for the state prosecutor stated the two suspects were being detained on "serious suspicion of homicide".

Personal details of those implicated have not been disclosed by authorities, in accordance with national regulations.

The family's disappearance was originally brought to light by the female victim's relative, who is based in Germany, on July 25, 2024.

Investigators said the 55-year-old suspect claimed at the time she had embarked on an prolonged visit with her child to travel to her relatives in the nation of Turkey.

The victim's bank card was then found to have been used overseas on multiple occasions.

Yet when police searched the victim's residence, her mobile phone was found.

A witness also claimed listening to a loud noise in the apartment, and shouts of "mum" on the date the pair were believed to have vanished.

A wider official inquiry was launched, with officers discovering multiple communications sent from the woman's phone—such as a resignation letter to her workplace and communications to the male colleague.

Authorities stated a amount in the thousands was also moved to the suspect.

A senior police official stated to reporters on that day that a rented space had been rented out before the vanishing and a freezer had been positioned inside.

The two suspects removed the appliance from the unit on the very day the victims vanished, she said. And a week later, they acquired an additional appliance.

Authorities believe they think this suggests the demise were premeditated.

"How they died could not be determined due to the state of decomposition of the victims," Tersch commented.

Mayr—of the public prosecutor's office—said the specific order of occurrences is yet to be determined, but the remains were carefully placed and went unnoticed during a prior examination.

While the suspects were arrested in the summer, it was only on 12 November that the 55-year-old admitted to an incident and to concealing the remains. He denies any murderous intent, investigators stated.

In a related development, his brother admitted to a concealment but disputed knowledge of a homicide.

The brothers are currently in detention before court proceedings in prisons in Innsbruck and Salzburg, approximately 189 kilometers away from each other.

Via a shared communication, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister declared the "alleged double murder... symbolizes the sudden and brutal end of two individuals and uncovers a heartless setup".

"Females of all ages are falling victim to homicide due to the sole reason that they are women and girls," they went on to say.

"Femicides are a deeply rooted and issue affecting all of society that we must fight resolutely."