Man accused of ritualistic killing of gay roommate faces life behind bars

A gay man moved into an apartment temporarily after he’d broken up with his ex and ended up walking into a nightmare, prosecutors in Germany say.

Three days later, he was dead.

The 44-year-old was stabbed to death by his roommate last November, authorities say, in a ritualistic killing based on the perpetrator’s extreme anti-gay religious views inspired by the Bible.

In the trial currently underway in Osnabrück in northwest Germany, prosecutors have revealed deep-seated animus for gay people shown by the alleged killer, 35, reports German outlet Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.

The defendant allegedly cited the Third Book of Moses from Leviticus to the victim, specifically the passage, “You shall not lie with a man as you would with a woman; it is an abomination.” He also claimed that gay men should face the wall whenever a “real man” like him passed by, and tried to prohibit the victim from using the apartment’s bathroom because he was gay, prosecutors said.

The man’s behavior raised red flags almost immediately. After he threatened the new roommate with death and said he would drink his blood, the gay roommate called the police, one of several calls they received, according to court records.

On the last “danger warning” visit by cops, police advised the victim to simply steer clear of the aggressor; there were no consequences for his roommate. On the first day of the trial, a policewoman testified that the defendant had not been searched for knives in the apartment, despite his explicit threats.

Police were aware, as well, that the defendant had already demonstrated violent tendencies. Just weeks before the murder victim moved in, the defendant attacked a tradesman hired to fix a faulty drain, prosecutors said, berating him for poor workmanship. The man sustained multiple bruises.

On the morning of November 9, the gay man’s roommate snapped, according to prosecutors.

The defendant held a knife in each hand and forced the victim to kneel before him and apologize, they said – it remains unclear for what. The defendant recorded the confrontation on his phone, but the video was later deleted.

The prosecution alleged that the victim did apologize, but the roommate grew frustrated that he couldn’t explain why. In response, the man drove one of the knives into the victim’s heart.

The alleged killer then called the police himself, claiming self-defense. He greeted cops without emotion, one witness recounted.

“I found him remarkably, almost strikingly calm given the situation that had just unfolded,” one responding officer said.

The defendant has remained silent in court, according to reporting. He faces a possible sentence of life in prison.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Originally published here.