The day after the alleged senior serial killer was arrested in Schwäbisch Hall by a large police force, the suspect’s neighbors were appalled by what they had experienced – and the fear of further acts remains.
Nerve-wracking weeks lie behind the residents of Hagenbacher Ring in Schwäbisch Hall. A neighbor witnessed the arrest of the alleged serial killer on Tuesday, as she told FOCUS online. When she finally saw the identikit of the man against whom the police were investigating for at least three murders of elderly women on Wednesday afternoon, she immediately remembered: “I think I greeted him on Monday.”
After all, in a city with less than 40,000 inhabitants, you wouldn’t assume any bad intentions in the neighborhood. Residents and passers-by describe the Hagenbacher Ring as a tranquil residential area with good connections and many senior citizens. But the latter in particular had become increasingly concerned in view of the increasing number of murder cases. “The single women hardly went out anymore,” says the resident. She no longer even opens the door for the postman during the day, preferring to receive the parcels at the front door.
The murder cases have also caused uncertainty among the younger generation. A couple walks with two dogs past the alleged perpetrator’s house on Wednesday evening – the day of the week on which the perpetrator apparently repeatedly murdered. It’s a weird feeling, they say unanimously. The police carried out extensive surveys and even looked at the material from the surveillance camera at home in search of further clues.
The fact that the two are out and about together at all and that she doesn’t walk the dogs alone like she used to is also due to the circumstances. “I no longer go out alone with the dogs in the dark,” says the young woman – after all, the two are not attack dogs. She is also toying with the idea of getting pepper spray to increase security. Police prevention teams and experts now advise against this, however, as it could lead to further escalation and the perpetrators could use the pepper spray against the victims.
Breathing easy is therefore not the order of the day in Schwäbisch Hall. Especially since the police only arrested one suspect. So what if he wasn’t the perpetrator and the real one is still at large? “I hope it was him,” says the walker – because then the danger will hopefully be averted.
Passers-by tell different things about the residents themselves. While the arrested man traveled to Germany with his wife and two children at the beginning of December, according to chief public prosecutor Harald Lustig, many rumors were circulating on the Hagenbacher Ring. Wasn’t it November? “I’ve seen him before, he’s been here longer,” says the partner of the walker and refers to the identikit – it should be the man. He often stayed at a nearby supermarket and professionally collected scrap. Another walker, on the other hand, says confidently: “I’ve lived here for ten years and have never seen him.”
The Hagenbacher Ring in Schwäbisch Hall will probably remain under the impression of the police operation, the deeds and now the arrest of a suspect for a long time. “Yesterday was very shocking,” says the resident. All residents of the high-rise were in shock, a friend had already found somewhere else on Tuesday because she could no longer stand it in the building. She also blames herself for not recognizing something – or even preventing actions – says the neighbor. But how are you supposed to spot a murderer even if he lives just down the street?
She repeatedly saw Serbian license plates in front of the door, and many Ukrainians also live in the area, says the resident, referring to the suspect’s Serbian nationality. The origin does not allow any conclusions about criminality. However, she finds it difficult to believe that the series of murders is just one perpetrator. “Maybe just a henchman was caught,” she fears and actually hopes that she is wrong.
