Second man held in fatal abuse case

Authorities are investigating a second suspect in the case of a 40-year-old woman who suffered fatal injuries during alleged sexual abuse, ORF reported. Her 50-year-old husband is also in custody.

The woman was found in June with heavily bleeding injuries at her home in Marchtrenk, a town in the Wels-Land district. An autopsy was ordered because of the injuries.

During questioning, the husband admitted to sexual acts but described them as an accident and said his wife had been heavily intoxicated. Investigators opened proceedings against him on suspicion of sexually abusing a person unable to defend herself, resulting in death.

According to the Krone newspaper, investigators have since found indications that the husband repeatedly sedated his wife so that other men could abuse her. This allegedly also happened on the night she died.

Analysis of mobile phone chats reportedly pointed to a 51-year-old man who was allegedly present at the home that night. He is also accused of having raped the woman several times earlier while she was unconscious.

The 51-year-old and the husband are both in pretrial detention.