A 28-year-old man is expected to receive a verdict on Thursday at the Freiburg Regional Court in the murder trial of a pub owner in Rheinfelden, Landkreis Lörrach.
The prosecutor accuses the defendant of murderously and treacherously killing his former employer with a hammer. The Afghan defendant visited his former employer at the latter's pub in October last year in the morning and engaged him in conversation.
When the 50-year-old victim turned his back, the defendant attacked him with a locksmith's hammer. The victim attempted to defend himself but fell to the ground and died at the scene.
The number of times the defendant struck his victim.
The defendant had worked for several months as a waiter in the victim's pub. He denied the murder allegations in court. The motive for the murder remained unclear at the time of reporting.
Drug tests after the crime detected amphetamine and methamphetamine in the defendant, despite his claim that he did not consume hard drugs. The defendant was previously known to the police.
Several previous proceedings had been brought against the defendant, including for assault and driving without a license, all of which were dropped.
The murder of a pub owner with a hammer caused shock in Rheinfelden.
