Man faces trial over alleged attempted murder of wife

A 67-year-old man will stand trial next Tuesday in Wiener Neustadt, accused of trying to murder his wife in Kottingbrunn in February and of attempting to assist her suicide, ORF reports.

The couple allegedly drank a medication cocktail mixed by the man on the evening of February 1. His 66-year-old wife fell asleep and woke in hospital. The man allegedly woke the next day, realised they were both still alive and stabbed her twice in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.

A recipient of an email in which the couple allegedly announced their planned suicide contacted emergency services. Responders found the woman with life-threatening injuries at the couple’s home and took her to hospital. The man was also taken to hospital with injuries, and the knife was seized.

The planned suicide was unsuccessful because they did not have enough medication, according to the indictment. The woman said that using a knife to die had not been agreed, the indictment states.

The defendant denies the charges, according to his lawyer, Nikolaus Rast. He is currently serving a three-year prison sentence imposed in 2025 for breach of trust and fraudulent insolvency. His wife was also convicted in that case. The jury trial is scheduled to last one day.