Bio

Zdenek Hrbac was born in 1981 in the Czech Republic. He had been living in Germany for approximately five years by 2007, working as a car mechanic in Bonn.

Murder Story

On August 29, 2007, 14-year-old Hannah from Königswinter was on her way home in the Oberdollendorf area. Reports state that Hrbac waited for a victim near the Oberdollendorf-Nord stop, overpowered Hannah, tied and gagged her, and took her to an empty bus or bus area.

Hrbac raped Hannah after restraining her. He later confessed after his arrest. Czech and German reporting stated that he told police he wanted to experience sex with a woman and then killed Hannah because he feared she would recognize him or report him.

After the rape, Hrbac stabbed Hannah repeatedly. Radio Prague reported that he stabbed her twelve times and cut her throat. Other summaries state that she bled to death after being stabbed and that her body was hidden in a ditch or bushes near the area.

The investigation used DNA testing to identify Hrbac. Reports state that saliva/DNA evidence linked him to the crime, and one memorial summary said many people in the area were checked before investigators matched DNA to Hrbac in September 2007.

Hrbac went on trial at the Bonn Regional Court in late November 2007. On December 6, 2007, the court convicted him of aggravated rape, deprivation of liberty, and murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. The court also found special severity of guilt, a German legal finding that makes release after the ordinary 15-year minimum much harder.

In May 2008, Hrbac withdrew his appeal voluntarily. Rundschau reported that this made the conviction legally final and that, because of the sentence structure, he would have to serve at least 18 years before a first review for possible release.