Trial of quadruple Swiss murderer opens

The murders took place in Rupperswil, in the northern canton of Aargau. Keystone

The trial opens on Tuesday of a man accused of the December 2015 murder of a woman, two boys, and a girl. According to prosecutors, the accused was planning further murders when captured.

The murders took place in Rupperswil, in the northern canton of Aargau, after what the charge sheet has described as the meticulous planning of the (now) 34-year-old accused.

Some months before the crime, the man, who had been aware of his own paedophilic tendencies for years, purchased his weapon, a 30cm kitchen knife, and made several reconnaissance trips in the neighbourhood of the deceased.

False ID

Using a false letter and identity card presenting himself as a school psychologist, he called to the house of the victims shortly before 8am, and was welcomed in to have a conversation with the mother (48) and her 13-year-old son.

He then forced (with the knife) the mother to tie up her elder son and his girlfriend, before sending the former to two banks to withdraw money. When she returned, he tied her up too. He sexually abused the 13-year-old boy, while recording everything.

After killing all four by cutting their throats, he set the house on fire using lamp oil, before returning to his own residence to shower. He later went for a walk with his mother and met friends in Zurich for dinner.

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Further crimes planned

Some days later, it is also reported, the accused also started plans to undertake a similar operation, and searched online for images of children resembling the boy he had abused. He found two families, one in canton Solothurn and the other in canton Bern, and prepared more fake identification in preparation of visiting them.

He was eventually arrested in May 2016 in a café in Aargau. In the trial that opens Tuesday, he is accused of murder, extortion, kidnapping, hostage-taking, sexual acts on a minor, sexual constraint, arson, and pornography.

The accused has already confessed to the murders, and his fingerprints and DNA were found at the crime scene. He acted alone, did not know his victims, and has a clean criminal record.

The trial is expected to run until Friday.