Teen arrested after filming brutal bedtime murders of great-grandmother and stepdad
A 17-year-old suspected of murdering his great-grandmother and stepfather and then posting video footage of the attacks online has been arrested for double murder after police found him hiding in a bush.
The teenager was detained on Thursday in Poland’s southern Opole region after police received links to the grisly footage being circulated on messaging services from horrified members of the public.
According to regional newspaper Nowa Trybuna Opolska, the recordings show the teen
practising axe attacks in a garage next to the house where the bodies of a 92-year-old woman and 38-year-old man were found.
Another video then shows him murdering the pair while they slept. One of the videos reportedly showed the teenager licking blood from the murder weapon.
Stanisław Bar, spokesman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Opole, said the victims, whose bodies displayed numerous
stab and chopping wounds, may have been killed with an axe or knife but that investigations were ongoing.
Tracked down
Regional police said the teenager’s arrest followed an extensive search involving several police forces, tracking dogs, and police technicians and forensics experts.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact course and circumstances of the crime. Photo: @opolskaPolicja
They said the 17-year-old, who was found unarmed hiding in bushes, offered no explanation at the time of his arrest, adding that he was taken to a local police station where he is scheduled to be questioned on Friday.
‘Respect for privacy’
The police have now appealed to citizens and media to refrain from publishing and sharing graphic photos and videos from the crime scene.
“In the face of this entire tragedy, the family of the deceased 92-year-old woman and 38-year-old man deserves
respect for their privacy,” a statement posted on X read.
“No one would want to find themselves in a similar situation and watch the death or suffering of a loved one on the Internet. Respect for the deceased as a result of today’s crime and their loved ones is more important than any reach or likes,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact course and circumstances of the crime.