Bodenfelde Black Widows

The Bodenfelde Black Widows were two German serial killers, who committed four murders from 1994 to 2000 in the Bodenfelde municipality.[1][2][3] Bodenfelde is in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany.

Murderers

The couple were Lydia L., a former prostitute born in 1939, and her assistant, Siegmund S.

Lydia invited older men to live with her in a relationship or as care for the elderly. She later murdered the men with Siegmund S.'s help. However, a turnaround occurred when her aide himself reported the crimes to the police, confessing his participation in them as well.

Victims

The following relationships were assigned to Lydia L.:

  • Ludwig G. from Biebertal. In 1983, he met the woman at the age of 82. In September 1985, he appointed Lydia his sole heir. He died in a hospital on 5 January 1986.
  • Wilhelm S., a master mason from the Sauerland.
  • Paul P., who died at the age of 83 in February 1991.
  • Alois M.
  • Günter S., 74, strangled in June 1994.
  • Adolf B. from Melsungen, was suffocated with a pillow in September 1994.
  • Paul G., first stunned by Lydia L. and then strangled by Siegmund S., in April 1995.
  • Gerhard G., smothered with a plastic bag by the two offenders in his house in Völksen, near Hanover, on 13 July 2000.

Trial

The court recognized the last four cases as murders.[4] Lydia L. was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 by the District Court of Göttingen, and she is now serving in Vechta Prison. A revision submitted by her was unsuccessful.[5]

Siegmund S. was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, which he served in the Rosdorf correctional facility. By his own account, he said that he had been afraid of being poisoned.[6]

In 2014, Lydia L. sued the new owner of her house, who was said to have disposed of personal belongings without her permission.[7] The claim was dismissed by the court.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Murder cases in Bodenfelde: Near Höxter: "Black Widow" lured victims into death trap by ads" (in German). Focus Online. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  2. ^ Jürgen Dahlkamp and Michael Fröhlingsdorf (28 January 2008). "Crime: The Black Widow" (in German). Spiegel Online. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Lifelong imprisonment for "Black Widow"". FAZ.net (in German). 3 June 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Confessions in the "Black Widow" process". Die Welt (in German). welt.de. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Press release No. 14/09 of January 19, 2009" (in German). juris.bundesgerichtshof.de. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  6. ^ ""Bodenfelde Black Widows" - Her helper was afraid of herself" (in German). sueddeutsche.de. 11 May 2005. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  7. ^ Heidi Niemann (28 March 2014). ""Black Widow" from Bodenfelde demands damages" (in German). haz.de. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Black widow: Buyer of her house does not have to pay damages" (in German). hna.de. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2016.