Basel (HELVILUX) – A 33-year-old man, accused of brutally murdering a 75-year-old woman in Basel, has been remanded in custody following a recent verdict. The chilling crime, which took place on Nasenweg, marks the third fatal act of violence linked to the perpetrator, who has a history of psychiatric issues and violent behavior.
During the verdict announcement on Friday, Dominik Kiener, President of the five-judge chamber of the criminal court, addressed the gravity of the case, reflecting on the ongoing debate about whether such tragedies could have been prevented. “When something terrible happens, the question always arises as to whether it could have been prevented. That was also the case here,” Kiener stated. However, the court concluded that the man’s actions, despite his psychiatric condition, could have been prevented with proper intervention.
The penitentiary system and the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK), where the man had been undergoing treatment, were not held responsible for failing to foresee the tragic outcome. “We have talked a lot about your illness. But today, it’s about the victim and the crime,” Kiener emphasized. “You are responsible, and no one else.”
Ordinary Custody Under Swiss Law
Under the Swiss Criminal Code (SCC), ordinary detention is imposed on individuals who commit murder and are deemed likely to commit further crimes due to a mental disorder. The court ruled that the man’s ongoing threat to public safety and his resistance to therapy left no choice but to keep him in ordinary custody, a form of detention specifically for high-risk offenders.
Though conditional release from ordinary custody is theoretically possible, the court stated that it is unlikely in this case, given the current understanding of the perpetrator’s mental state and behavior. According to the Criminal Code, it must be expected that the offender will prove himself capable of reintegrating into society if released, but the man’s psychiatric condition and violent history make this outcome improbable.
Previous Violent History
The 33-year-old has a disturbing history of violent crimes. In 2014, he was involved in the brutal murders of two women and the serious injury of a man in the same Basel neighborhood. Despite the severity of the crimes, he was found not guilty due to his mental health condition specifically, paranoid schizophrenia, which results in visual and auditory hallucinations, as explained by the psychiatric expert during the trial. This secondary reality, which he perceives but others cannot, plays a significant role in his resistance to therapy.
At the time of the most recent murder, the man was on an unaccompanied release from the UPK, a decision that has raised further concerns about the oversight of individuals with such severe mental health conditions. The case has sparked renewed debates about the balance between psychiatric care and public safety, and whether the current systems of monitoring and rehabilitation are adequate for such high-risk individuals.
Three Lives Lost and One Seriously Injured
The murder of the 75-year-old woman in August 2024 is the latest in a series of violent events linked to this individual. The woman was killed with a knife while the perpetrator was on a temporary release from the psychiatric clinic. In total, he has now been linked to three deaths and one seriously injured person within a decade.
Despite his history and psychiatric diagnosis, the fact remains that he remains a significant threat to society. The court has made it clear that the responsibility for his actions lies with him alone, regardless of his mental illness. This marks a pivotal moment in Switzerland’s handling of violent offenders with mental health conditions.
The public prosecutor’s office, having examined the case, had advocated for the imposition of ordinary custody, a stance that the court ultimately supported. The decision underscores the court’s recognition that the man poses an ongoing danger to the public and will not be released until significant therapeutic progress has been made, if at all.
As the trial continues, the case will likely provoke further discussions regarding the treatment and detention of individuals with severe mental health conditions who commit violent crimes. The issue of balancing mental health care with public safety remains a central concern in the Swiss criminal justice system, especially when it comes to individuals who demonstrate resistance to therapy and continue to commit violent offenses despite medical intervention.
As for the families affected by the perpetrator’s actions, the court’s verdict is a grim reminder of the intersection between mental health, criminal responsibility, and the safety of society. Helvilux will continue to follow developments in this case and the ongoing debate surrounding the treatment of mentally ill offenders in Switzerland.