Hanna W. murder case: Sebastian T. on the loose after 945 nights!

Hanna W. murder case: Sebastian T. on the loose after 945 nights!

A shadow over Aschau: Sebastian T. was released from the Traunstein prison on June 20, 2025 after two and a half years in custody. He is suspected of being involved in the violent death of medical student Hanna Wörndl, who was found lifeless in Prien on October 3, 2022. The trial against him will be reopened on September 29, 2025 after an expert report raised considerable doubts about the credibility of the incriminating testimony of a witness. Sebastian T., who not only celebrated Christmas three times during his time in prison, but also his birthday, now has the opportunity to return to his parents' house because the strong suspicion against him is no longer considered to exist.

The report comes from Prof. Dr. Max Steller, who took a closer look at the statement of the main prosecution witness Adrian M. on behalf of the Traunstein Regional Court. He claimed that Sebastian T. had confessed to him in prison that he had murdered Hanna Wörndl. But Steller's analysis came to the conclusion that Adrian M.'s statement did not have probative value. In addition, such statements, like Adrian M.'s, often suffered from a tendency to make false statements, which posed a considerable risk for the defendant. These concerns about the reliability of confessions are not new, as forensik-berlin.de shows; There, false statements are examined in detail as part of criminal psychology research.

A turbulent legal process

The developments in this case are explosive not only for the people affected, but also for public perception. The Federal Court of Justice had previously found that there were procedural errors in the first judgment, which ultimately led to an appeal. The 1st Youth Chamber of the Traunstein Regional Court determined on Friday that “an urgent suspicion of a crime can currently no longer be assumed.” This could mean an acquittal for Sebastian T. in the upcoming trial.

Adrian M., whose statements served as the basis for the first verdict, was himself involved in proceedings for abuse via the Internet. He is described as someone who had a strong tendency to lie and also had a motive for making false statements. The question arises as to how often such false statements occur in legal practice; after all, the proportion of false confessions was proven to be around 7% in Germany. These numbers show the problem behind statements like Adrian M.'s, which not only question the defendant, but also procedural fairness.

The shadow of crime

Meanwhile, Hanna Wörndl's violent death remains an unexplained mystery. The case not only kept the judiciary busy, but also kept the public in suspense. Her body was discovered on October 3, 2022, and although the autopsy revealed signs of a violent crime, there is still a lack of a murder weapon, DNA evidence and direct eyewitnesses that could implicate Sebastian T. in the murder. In fact, witnesses were seen watching him while he was jogging shortly before the crime - but without any solid evidence against him.

The Hanna W. case is facing an important turning point. On September 29, 2025, the judiciary will try again to shed light on the matter. Hopes lie in a fair trial that must examine all evidence for and against Sebastian T. in detail in order to ensure justice. The fact is that dealing with such cases requires a lot of sensitivity - there is something there!

It is a time of uncertainty for the city of Aschau and Hanna Wörndl's relatives. The question remains whether the new trial can bring clarity - and whether Sebastian T. can actually be held accountable for the crime or whether he is counting his days as a free man.

But until then it remains to be seen how the dice will fall.