In dubio pro reo? Here are the stories of three victims of injustice from Austria, Germany, and the USA who shared the same fate: they were declared murderers, convicted, and imprisoned – even though they were innocent. A jogger whose statement was used against him. A mentally ill woman who confessed under medication. A young soldier who couldn't withstand the pressure from investigators.
Sebastian T. from Germany: The Ice Cellar Case
On March 19, 2024, Sebastian T. was sentenced to nine years in prison for the murder of 23-year-old medical student Hanna W.
What happened?
On the night of October 3, 2022, Hanna W. died after a night of partying at the club „Eiskeller“ in Aschau im Chiemgau.
Her body was found in a river about nine kilometers away late that afternoon. She was partially clothed and had sustained several severe injuries, including deep abrasions on her body and head trauma. When Hanna disappeared, a male jogger was seen in the vicinity and later asked to come forward in a public appeal. Sebastian T., who was training for a half-marathon and enjoyed running at night, came forward to the police with a clear conscience.
The investigation
Sebastian T. testifies to the police, even though he didn't see anything suspicious. During the interrogation, the officers ask him to imagine how Hanna could have been killed. Sebastian T. speculates that she might have been attacked by a driver and then hit on the head with a rock. The police interpret this statement as knowledge only the perpetrator would have.
The officials assumed that Sebastian T. had gone out for a second run after his first one ended and attacked Hanna W. at the crime scene. However, there is no evidence whatsoever for this second run – no camera footage, no witnesses. On the contrary: Sebastian's phone data shows that he played a mobile game at home after his run. A subsequent search of his belongings also yielded nothing that could have connected him to Hanna. Nevertheless, the police continued to assume that Sebastian had attacked Hanna, undressed her, and then thrown her into the nearby Bärbach stream.
Small side note: According to the expert report, Hanna was reportedly about 20 cm taller and 10 kg heavier than Sebastian.
Most recently there was still a cellmate, who stated that Sebastian T. had confessed the crime to him while in pretrial detention. However, his statement remained vague. The man also had a history of mental health problems, including some false statements in the past.
Nevertheless, the court sentenced Sebastian T. to nine years in prison, partly based on this questionable testimony.
The truth
After the proceedings were resumed, the alleged actual course of events could be reconstructed. According to this, Hanna, heavily intoxicated on that October night, fell into the Bärbach, which becomes wild at this time of year. In the process, she screamed once, which was heard by a witness. Since she was also wearing heavy winter clothing, she presumably took it off herself to save herself. Due to the strong current and the nine kilometers she was carried away, it is to be assumed that this is how the severe abrasions and head injuries occurred. The expert report also confirmed that the cause of her death was drowning. Furthermore, it was revealed that the presiding judge and the public prosecutor had colluded during the trial. Behavior that is strictly prohibited.
The Federal Court of Justice eventually overturned the verdict. Sebastian T. was acquitted in November 2025. The judge apologized. Nevertheless, no one can give him back the 945 days he spent in prison.
Sandra Hemme from the USA: Four Decades Incarcerated Innocently
In 1980, Sandra Hemme was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a library employee in St. Joseph, Missouri. Sandra had pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty.
What happened?
On November 13, 1980, 31-year-old secretary Patricia Jeschke was found dead in her bedroom after failing to show up for work. Patricia Jeschke's hands were bound, and she had injuries to her head. She had apparently been strangled with a pair of pantyhose. Police found two black hairs at the scene as well as two pieces of cut antenna wire next to her body.
The investigation
The fact is that Jeschke left work around 5 p.m. on November 12, 1980, to go to a church event. She was seen by a witness in a white sports car in downtown St. Joseph. Additionally, other witnesses saw a white car in front of her apartment that same evening. Thirteen days later, a nurse called the police because a former patient was in her house with a knife. When the police arrived, they found Sandra Hemme, then 20 years old, hiding in a closet. She was admitted to a psychiatric facility.
Sandra was marked by a past with psychological problems. The police interrogation took place in the psychiatric hospital while Sandra was being treated with antipsychotic medication. These had such a strong effect that her lawyers stated she was at times not even able to hold her head up. Furthermore, she was allegedly tied to a chair. During her interrogation, she made contradictory statements and was deemed mentally confused.
The truth
After 43 years in prison, the responsible district judge ruled that no evidence Sandra's guilt was based on her unreliable statements, which were made during a psychiatric crisis and while she was in physical pain. A direct link to a local police officer, who was convicted of another crime and has since passed away, was established for Jeschke's murder.
Sandra's conviction resulted in the longest wrongful prison sentence for a woman in the US. She has been free since 2024 and is now over 60 years old.
Peter Heidegger from Austria: The Taxi Murder
Peter Heidegger was accused in 1993 of murdering 28-year-old taxi driver Claudia Deubler from Salzburg in Wals. He is alleged to have shot and robbed her.
The investigation
Just two days after the murder, then 19-year-old soldier Peter Heidegger was arrested because two witnesses testified that they had seen him near the crime scene at the time of the crime. Heidegger confessed to the act a total of five times. However, he recanted his confession 15 days later. His reasoning: he had been pressured by the investigators. Nevertheless, based on his confession and the witness statements, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder and aggravated robbery in Krems an der Donau.
The truth
Heidegger's trial was resumed in 2001.. The jury agreed that he had not committed the offense, which led to his acquittal. As a result, six officers from the Salzburg Criminal Investigation Department were charged with suspected abuse of office. It turned out that the investigators had behaved very dominantly and one-sidedly during Heidegger's interrogation and had put him under massive pressure. For example, they claimed they had found his hair in the taxi. They also deprived him of sleep by keeping him awake all night under bright lighting.
Finally, Peter Heidegger confessed to the murder to end the harsh interrogations. Only when he realized the consequences for him and that the truth was no longer being sought did he finally retract his confession. The false confession, false testimonies, suppression of evidence, and forgery of documents ultimately led to his mistaken conviction.
In 2004, Peter Heidegger received compensation of 950,000 euros. His prison sentence resulted in 2865 days of imprisonment. Thus, the taxi murder is considered one of the longest wrongful imprisonment cases in Austrian judicial history.
