Suzane von Richthofen: Difference between revisions

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==Motives==

[[File:Happy Family Richtofen.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Richthofen family. From left to right: Suzane, Andreas, Marisia and Manfred]]

Suzane's parents initially allowed her to date Daniel, believing it to be a temporary crush, but changed their mind as it went on and when they discovered that he used marijuana almost daily, was unwilling to work or attend school, and came from a lower-class background (although Daniel himself asserted the opposite on his trial: that he worked hard and didn't smoke). In July 2002, while Suzane's parents were on vacation, Daniel moved into the house for a month. When the parents came back home, Suzane suggested they buy her a flat ~~in which~~ she could live with Daniel~~, which her~~ father refused, saying that she could do whatever she liked only if she earned money herself.

Suzane's parents initially allowed her to date Daniel, believing it to be a temporary crush, but changed their mind as it went on and when they discovered that he used marijuana almost daily, was unwilling to work or attend school, and came from a lower-class background (although Daniel himself asserted the opposite on his trial: that he worked hard and didn't smoke). In July 2002, while Suzane's parents were on vacation, Daniel moved into the house for a month. When the parents came back home, Suzane suggested they buy her a flat where she could live with Daniel. Her father refused, saying that she could do whatever she liked only if she earned money herself.

Suzane continued to meet Daniel in secret and claimed that her actions were motivated by love and a fear that Daniel would leave her. Her lawyer, Denivaldo Barni, said that Suzane had no motive at all, but was forced to the crime by Daniel, whom she adored like a god.

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Another reason may have been the parents' wealth, estimated at about 17 million dollars, which Suzane would inherit in the event of the parents' death. As Prosecutor Roberto Tardelli put it, Suzane wanted to "get her hands on the money and assets her parents had worked so hard to obtain"; she "wanted her freedom and independence without having to work for it".

[[File:Young-Suzane-von-Richthofen.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A young Suzane, around the time she committed the murder]]

==Crime==

Suzane planned the murder of her parents for months. In the late hours of 31 October 2002, she checked if they were already asleep, then disconnected the alarm system of the estate and opened the door to Daniel and Cristian, who had been waiting outside. The brothers went upstairs to the parents' bedroom and struck them with iron bars before strangling them with towels. Suzane was waiting in the living room downstairs. After the murder was accomplished, the three staged a break-in by pocketing money they found, spreading papers in the library, and creating a mess in the house. Suzane and Daniel then went to a motel, while Cristian ate at a fast food restaurant.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Motives==
 [[File:Happy Family Richtofen.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The Richthofen family. From left to right: Suzane, Andreas, Marisia and Manfred]]
-Suzane's parents initially allowed her to date Daniel, believing it to be a temporary crush, but changed their mind as it went on and when they discovered that he used marijuana almost daily, was unwilling to work or attend school, and came from a lower-class background (although Daniel himself asserted the opposite on his trial: that he worked hard and didn't smoke). In July 2002, while Suzane's parents were on vacation, Daniel moved into the house for a month. When the parents came back home, Suzane suggested they buy her a flat in which she could live with Daniel, which her father refused, saying that she could do whatever she liked only if she earned money herself.
+Suzane's parents initially allowed her to date Daniel, believing it to be a temporary crush, but changed their mind as it went on and when they discovered that he used marijuana almost daily, was unwilling to work or attend school, and came from a lower-class background (although Daniel himself asserted the opposite on his trial: that he worked hard and didn't smoke). In July 2002, while Suzane's parents were on vacation, Daniel moved into the house for a month. When the parents came back home, Suzane suggested they buy her a flat where she could live with Daniel. Her father refused, saying that she could do whatever she liked only if she earned money herself.
 Suzane continued to meet Daniel in secret and claimed that her actions were motivated by love and a fear that Daniel would leave her. Her lawyer, Denivaldo Barni, said that Suzane had no motive at all, but was forced to the crime by Daniel, whom she adored like a god.
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Another reason may have been the parents' wealth, estimated at about 17 million dollars, which Suzane would inherit in the event of the parents' death. As Prosecutor Roberto Tardelli put it, Suzane wanted to "get her hands on the money and assets her parents had worked so hard to obtain"; she "wanted her freedom and independence without having to work for it".
 [[File:Young-Suzane-von-Richthofen.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A young Suzane, around the time she committed the murder]]
 ==Crime==
 Suzane planned the murder of her parents for months. In the late hours of 31 October 2002, she checked if they were already asleep, then disconnected the alarm system of the estate and opened the door to Daniel and Cristian, who had been waiting outside. The brothers went upstairs to the parents' bedroom and struck them with iron bars before strangling them with towels. Suzane was waiting in the living room downstairs. After the murder was accomplished, the three staged a break-in by pocketing money they found, spreading papers in the library, and creating a mess in the house. Suzane and Daniel then went to a motel, while Cristian ate at a fast food restaurant.