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CRIME

‘Antitheist’ given life sentence for killing Christian flatmate over religion

A self-proclaimed "antitheist" was sentenced to life in prison for killing his Christian flatmate over her religion.

'Antitheist' given life sentence for killing Christian flatmate over religion
Daniel E. entering the courtroom in Freiburg. Photo: DPA.

The 25-year-old Daniel E. was sentenced to life in prison by a court in Freiburg on Monday for killing his Christian student flatmate last August in a crime ruled to be motivated by hate and disdain.

The 31-year-old victim from Paderborn had first met her killer when she moved into a student flatshare last summer. The young woman was an active member of her parish who wanted to later work for the church.

But Daniel E. vehemently rejected any form of religion, and twice before killing her had tried to start a fight, he told police.

On the day of the murder – just ten days after moving in together – he stormed into her room and asked her what her stance was on same-sex marriage. When she said that she rejected this kind of marriage, he stabbed her while she sat on her bed, with a knife hidden in his trouser pocket.

State prosecutors argued that she had no chance against her sole flatmate. She tried to flee via the stairwell, but there he stabbed her in the back several times and she died at the scene. The court determined that he had deliberately planned the attack on his roommate.

After he killed her, he unsuccessfully attempted suicide.

Daniel E., from Baden-Württemberg, was clear from the start of the police investigation about his motivation: his hatred of all religion.

The head judge on the case, Eva Kleine-Cosack, said that the murder was difficult to comprehend. Daniel E. had not been directly impacted by his flatmate’s religiousness, and hardly knew her beforehand.

“He killed her as a representative of her religion because he could not kill all believers,” the judge said.

He had written about his hatred of religion days beforehand in a “manifesto” found on his computer, along with violent video games and films.

An expert testified that he had seen Hannibal Lecter from the film The Silence of the Lambs as a role model.

Another expert found that Daniel E. suffered from a personality disorder, spending most of his time in his own room and avoiding contact with others while ordering even groceries online.

But ultimately the court decided that he was criminally liable for the murder and sentenced him to life with the potential for parole after 15 years.

BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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