Overview
- The 36-year-old partner faces a charge of grossly negligent homicide at the Innsbruck regional court, a felony carrying a potential sentence of up to three years in prison.
- The 33-year-old woman was found dead about 40 vertical meters below the summit on January 19, 2025 after a winter ascent attempt; the accused says he left around 2 a.m. to seek help.
- Key facts remain contested: Alpinpolizei records show a first registered distress call around 3:30 a.m., while the defendant insists he had called shortly after midnight, and a police helicopter overflew the pair at about 22:30 without receiving a distress signal.
- Prosecutors point to a late start, inadequate bivouac gear, unsuitable footwear including snowboard boots and a splitboard for the victim, and a failure to shelter her as evidence of negligent planning and decision-making.
- The defense describes the death as an unforeseeable accident linked to communication problems and slow rescue response, the victim’s mother has publicly defended the accused, and Austrian case law on a de facto group leader may inform how responsibility is weighed.