Munich, August 28 – The 11th Criminal Chamber of the Munich I Regional Court has sentenced a 64-year-old former chief physician, identified as Rolf M., to nine years and nine months in prison for attempted murder. The verdict, delivered on Friday, concludes a case involving a brutal attack on the new partner of his ex-wife in an underground parking garage in southeastern Munich.
Details of the Attack and Police Intervention
The incident, which occurred approximately one year ago, involved Rolf M. ambushing his ex-wife and her new partner. Armed with a box cutter, brass knuckles, and pepper spray, M. waited outside his ex-wife’s residence. As the couple drove into the underground parking garage, M. followed them. He then sprayed pepper spray into the face of the man who was still in the car with the window open. As the victim attempted to exit the vehicle, M. began to stab him.
The victim tried to flee, but Rolf M. pursued him, stabbing him in the stomach. During the attack, the ex-wife managed to make an emergency call and then barricaded herself and her partner behind a gate, pressing against it to prevent M. from opening it. Despite this, M. bit the already severely injured man’s arm and continued to hack at his arm with the knife. According to Judge Michael Schönauer, M. only stopped his assault when he was confronted by three police officers who had arrived quickly at the scene.
Motive and Background of the Accused
During the trial, Rolf M. expressed a desire to understand how he could have committed such an act. Until 2013, the 64-year-old had been a chief physician at a clinic in Upper Bavaria. His marriage had ended prior to this, and following his sister’s death, he stated he had fallen into a “reactive depression,” leading to the loss of his job and home.
M. claimed he had been on good terms with his ex-wife and her new partner. He stated that his ex-wife had offered to rent her parents’ house in Lower Bavaria to him. M. maintained that he had paid 100,000 euros in advance to help his ex-wife and her partner out of financial difficulties, with the understanding that he could live there indefinitely. The other party, however, stated the amount was 40,000 euros and denied any such agreement.
The trigger for the attack, according to M., was an eviction notice he received in June 2025 due to non-payment. He viewed this as a “breach of trust” and was “surprised, disappointed, and angry.” He claimed his attempts to clarify the situation went unanswered. On the day of the attack, M. stated he still wanted to speak with his ex-wife’s partner, who was reportedly unenthusiastic. It was at this moment, M. testified, that he decided to “attack with intent to kill.”
Victim’s Suffering and Legal Ramifications
The victim continues to suffer severe physical consequences from the insidious attack. The court noted that the couple has not yet been able to emotionally process the assault. The verdict also stipulated that the co-plaintiffs are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering.
Defense lawyer Ömer Sahinci stated, “I thank the court for the highly professional conduct of the proceedings, as well as the public prosecutor’s office. We accept the verdict.” The public prosecutor and presiding judge Michael Schönauer acknowledged the pleasant working atmosphere, a rare consensus given the gravity of the attempted murder charge.
Source: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchen-urteil-chefarzt-messerangriff-ex-frau-versuchter-mord-li.3537689
