Two men have been taken into custody in Austria after a 40-year-old woman died from injuries allegedly suffered during sexual abuse at her home in Marchtrenk, near Wels.
The case has been dubbed “Pelicot 2.0” by Austrian media, although prosecutors have warned that reports of a wider network of men involved in the alleged abuse have not been confirmed.
The woman was found severely injured and bleeding at the property on 26 June. Her teenage daughter is understood to have discovered her, while emergency services were called to the scene. Paramedics were unable to save her and an autopsy was ordered.
Prosecutors in Wels allege that the woman’s 51-year-old husband sexually abused her while she was heavily intoxicated and unable to defend herself. They say he is currently the only person linked to the act believed to have caused her death.
The husband is being investigated for the sexual abuse of a defenceless or impaired person resulting in death. The offence carries a potential sentence of between 10 and 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment, and investigators have not ruled out a future murder charge if they establish that he intended to kill her.
Second man held as investigation continues
A second 51-year-old man has also been placed in custody. Prosecutors allege that he sexually abused the woman on at least two occasions while she was unable to consent. He has reportedly confessed to the allegations and expressed remorse.
Investigators are examining messages and other material to establish whether further men were involved. However, the Wels Public Prosecutor’s Office has said it cannot currently confirm claims that the woman was offered to other men in exchange for money.
Prosecutors have also said that no money is believed to have changed hands between the husband and the second man held in connection with the case. The husband has declined to comment on the allegations.
The investigation is being compared with the case of Gisèle Pelicot in France, whose former husband, Dominique Pelicot, drugged her over a period of years and arranged for other men to rape her while she was unconscious.
The Wels Public Prosecutor’s Office has declined to provide further details about the alleged acts, citing respect for the victim and the continuing investigation.
