Forensic doctor testifies in court: Dead wild camper in Jestetten could have been saved

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It is the sixth day of the trial before the Waldshut-Tiengen Regional Court against a 39-year-old Latvian. He is said to have killed the 31-year-old wild camper from St. Gallen with a huge piece of wood on June 8, 2023.

When forensic doctor Vanessa Thoma arrived in Jestetten (D) that day in the evening, she found a body covered with a small tarpaulin. Completely undressed, half in the water, half on land. Passersby had discovered the body a few hours earlier.

Now the doctor from Freiburg testified in court, as the “Südkurier” reports. When the body was found, Thoma noticed injuries to his head and limbs that did not indicate a simple fall.

“The man could have been saved”

She performed an autopsy a day later. Injuries to the legs and back, wounds to the skull and defensive wounds to the hands. “There is even a piece of ear missing,” the German newspaper quoted the chairman of the jury room.

The cause of death: blunt brain trauma from at least six violent blows to the head with an object. The doctor handed small fragments, probably of a piece of wood, to a detective. According to Thoma, it is no longer possible to determine which injuries occurred first. But: “The overall picture clearly speaks for a murder.”

Despite the many injuries, the forensic doctor said in court: “The man could have been saved.” The head injury was not that serious; Surprisingly, the meninges under the skull remained intact.

Verdict announced on January 25

It remains unclear whether the slain man was attacked from behind or in front. According to Thoma, the head can be hit well from different positions and angles. It is also unclear whether the 31-year-old pulled himself into the water after the attack. However, hematomas under the armpits, which indicate grasping, contradict this. According to “Südkurier”, the time of death adopted by the court was confirmed by the medical examiner.

The next day of the trial will take place on January 18, when the psychological expert will have his say. The first representative of the co-plaintiff then begins his argument. Because prosecutor Rahel Diers and lawyer Urs Gronenberg had requested more time to prepare their arguments due to the complexity of the indirect evidence process, the verdict is scheduled for January 25. (gs)

Source: Blick