Ingolstadt man goes on trial over alleged killing of ex-wife

A man accused of stabbing his 45-year-old former wife to death outside a residential building in Ingolstadt is due to stand trial at Ingolstadt Regional Court on Tuesday, BR reported. The woman was allegedly attacked in front of the couple’s two sons in December.

The defendant, a Turkish national, faces a murder charge involving alleged base motives. The 49-year-old is accused of stabbing his former partner during an argument on a public street.

Their sons, aged 17 and 23, tried to stop the attack by kicking and hitting their father. Police said one of them suffered a minor hand injury. The 45-year-old German woman was taken to hospital in Ingolstadt, where she died shortly afterwards. Both sons will join the proceedings as accessory prosecutors, according to the regional court.

The court has summoned 20 witnesses. No witness testimony is planned for the opening day, which will begin with the reading of the indictment. It remains unclear whether the defendant will make a statement or what triggered the attack. Hearings have been scheduled until the end of October, when a verdict is expected.

A similar case at Ingolstadt Regional Court concluded the previous week. In that case, a woman survived a knife attack by her husband after she decided to separate from him. The court sentenced the Afghan man to nine and a half years in prison for attempted murder.

The term femicide refers to the killing of girls and women because of their sex. Killings by a current or former partner make up only part of such cases; perpetrators may also include relatives such as brothers or cousins.

People affected by violence can contact the Violence Against Women helpline anonymously and free of charge on 08000 116016, or the Violence Against Men helpline on 0800 123 9900. The Weisser Ring victim support organisation can be reached on 116 006.