Crossbow drama remains a mystery for the time being

“He lived in a dark world. Torsten W. (53) was in charge of four women that he humiliated. Now they are all dead by crossbow”

The German newspaper Bild leads the way when it comes to reporting on the bizarre mystery of the five ‘crossbow dead’, in which one man and four women were found dead. For the time being, the German police are releasing little information about the possible motive for the murders or suicides.

In any case, international media are now also following the case that is partly taking place in the sleepy town of Wittingen, not far from Hanover. And it started with a lurid discovery, 650 kilometers away, in a hotel in Passau on the border with Austria. The ingredients of the mystery are now Netflix-worthy: a medieval weapon, four dead – one man and four women – and no motive for their death (yet). “The use of crossbows as a weapon is extremely rare,” said Walter Feiler, spokesperson for the public prosecutor in Passau. “You can only see them at medieval markets.”

Bizarre

Bild has plunged into the at least bizarre world of the deceased Torsten W., who according to the newspaper was fascinated by medieval attributes and had a special interest in bloody mise-en-scenes. At least, that is the conclusion of the newspaper from images of W.’s shop of medieval items (shields, swords, chain mail) and how he dressed his fashion dolls in it.

Or better: not getting dressed. Prominent on the counter of the Hachenburg store near Bonn, was a doll whose top was torn, a blue cord around the arms and a bone, dog chains around the neck, and black stockings. What makes the fantasy worrying is that the doll is generously smeared with blood-red paint as if it were tortured.

Issues

The German police try to put a link between the deaths of these Torsten W, the women Kersen E. (33) and Farina C. (30), all three of whom were found in a hotel in Passau. And Carina U. (19) and Gertrud C. (35), who was later found in Wittingen. All with crossbow arrows in the heart.

Kersten E. and Farina C. were registered as a lesbian couple. Carina U. had run away from home as a minor and ‘joined’ the women. Gertrud C. was a teacher in Wittingen. In recent months, she would no longer have worked due to burnout. A mother of one of her students reports that her behavior could be erratic. “She was open and kind at school. If you met her on the street, she wouldn’t even say hello to the children.”

The other women also come to the fore that they were unstable and had problems. “They sought the help of W. because they could not handle life,” writes Bild. The landlord of the farm where W. lived for some time with them, paints a picture of the relationship. “He communicated with the women through orders. Their body language was dedication; head down and gave orders.”

If W. felt that weeds had to be weeded, the women would start immediately, according to the landlord – who had no suspicion when Torsten W. signed the most expensive lease. He posed as a qualified psychologist and his ‘wife’ Kersten E. was said to have been a labor lawyer. After the contract was signed and the first and only down payment was made, it started to thunder.

Torsten W. did not pay the rent or paid it irregularly, had the two lesbian women move in with him and hit his landlord’s head when he came to complain about the dog of the residents. Eventually, the rent was canceled. “I was glad he was gone,” said the landlord.

Arrows

Initially, it was not clear how the company had died, but in the meantime, the local police have confirmed that all have been hit by arrows. Those arrows were probably shot with one or more crossbows. What exactly happened in the room is not yet known. Kersten E. would have died hand in hand with Torsten W.. None of the victims had injuries other than those of crossbow arrows. Allegedly the first shot was always in the heart after that more arrows would have been shot in some victims.

More details will also not be released for the time being.