Brutal rape in Rosental: trial against 33-year-old begins!

Brutal rape in Rosental: trial against 33-year-old begins!

On November 6, 2025, the trial began at the Leipzig Regional Court against a 33-year-old man who is held responsible for five sexual offenses committed between 2016 and 2017. The defendant was exposed to serious allegations, including particularly serious rape and sexual assault. These brutal acts include an attack on a 69-year-old jogger in Leipzig's Rosental in August 2017, in which the woman was not only raped but also seriously injured after being punched and kicked. The defendant tries to shield his face from photographers and cameramen with a file folder, which illustrates the tense atmosphere in the courtroom. Loud MDR A total of seven days of negotiations are scheduled for this process.

Solving these horrendous crimes proved extremely difficult for years. Despite intensive investigations, the perpetrator remained undiscovered until the beginning of 2025. The investigation had already begun in 2017, but contradictory descriptions of the perpetrators and unsuccessful grid searches prevented a quick clarification. It was only a completely different incident that led to the arrest of the suspect: a break-in at a hardware store in Leipzig-Seehausen on February 9, 2025. The 33-year-old, who had previously only been noticed for shoplifting, was discovered with stolen items near the pallets. During the identification process, he provided a saliva sample that revealed a DNA match in an old rape file. This crucial lead was the key to the case being revived by the Cold Case Commission, which began dealing with cold cases in 2024. This Saxony reports on the challenging investigation, which, despite the years of work by the “Rosental” special commission, has not yet been successful.

The actions at a glance

• Überfall im Rosental – August 2017:
• 69-jährige Joggerin brutal vergewaltigt und schwer verletzt.
• Weitere Übergriffe:
• Drei Taten im Rosental.
• Ein Angriff auf eine Rentnerin.
• Gesamter Zeitraum: 2016 und 2017.

The effects of these acts are still felt today. Since the crime in Rosental, the police have increased their presence and advised women not to go jogging alone, which shows that the sense of security of many citizens in Leipzig has been significantly impaired. This situation illustrates how serious such attacks can leave their mark on everyday life. The ongoing concern about further, as yet unknown victims is currently being investigated, as not all of the crimes have yet been assigned. MDR notes that with the re-examination of the crimes committed in 2016 and 2017, other victims could also become the focus of the investigation.