63-year-old inmate suspected of killing 40-year-old detainee at Garsten therapeutic prison
A 63-year-old detainee is suspected of stabbing a 40-year-old inmate to death in the corridor of the Forensic-Therapeutic Center in Garsten, Austrian authorities said.
On Monday afternoon a 40-year-old inmate was found dead in the corridor of the Forensisch-Therapeutischen Zentrum (FTZ) Garsten. Officials say a 63-year-old fellow detainee deliberately inflicted the fatal wounds with a knife-type instrument that has been seized. Emergency medical personnel and police arrived promptly, and the Landeskriminalamt Oberösterreich will take over the murder inquiry.
The two men were placed in the measures-detention wing because, while deemed accountable, they suffered severe, persistent psychiatric disorders that classified them as dangerous under § 21 Abs. 2 StGB, prompting mandatory therapeutic treatment. The Justice Ministry conveyed sympathy to the victim’s family and pledged a thorough investigation, noting that further details are expected on Tuesday. The Steyr public prosecutor’s office confirmed the investigation but has not yet released a police report.
Why it matters
It highlights safety and oversight challenges in Austria's high-security therapeutic detention facilities.
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