German Husband Allegedly Strangles Wife To Death, Organizes Feigned Search Party For Her

A 27-year-old painter in Germany has been accused of strangling his wife to death earlier this year and organizing a feigned search party with their children as well as the woman's sister.

The man, identified as Patrick S., allegedly choked his 27-year-old wife Jennifer S. to death with his bare hands on Feb. 27, The New York Post reported, citing German newspaper Bild.

Patrick then allegedly texted his sister-in-law using Jennifer's phone and told her that his wife planned to take a walk along the Rhine River that afternoon, which is where he started his fake search in an attempt to remove any suspicion of his involvement should he be the one to find her body, according to prosecutors.

Jennifer's body was found near the couple's apartment in Biebesheim am Rhein and Patrick was arrested the next day over the discovery.

Patrick, who described himself as being "extremely jealous," allegedly killed his former beauty queen wife after she told him she planned to leave him, according to the report.

"Because [Patrick] could not have her, no one else should," prosecutors argued.

The couple reportedly had marital problems, but Jennifer, who was once crowned as the "City Princess" for the German town of Lampertheim, gave her husband another chance the day before her death after he claimed "he wanted to change."

Patrick and Jennifer also allegedly had a history of violent domestic abuse prior to the latter's death.

In one instance of abuse on Jan. 8, 2020, Patrick masked himself as a burglar and "broke into" the couple's home, according to Bild. He then allegedly stabbed Jennifer twice with a kitchen knife in front of their son, who was only 5 years old at the time.

The charges for that incident were dropped when Jennifer declined to testify. However, she reportedly told the responding ambulance workers she recognized the attacker was her husband.

Patrick, who was handcuffed and wore his wedding ring, appeared before court Tuesday for charges of dangerous bodily harm and murder. He denied both crimes.

The professional painter was silent throughout the trial, but he agreed to have his information be read out to psychiatric experts.

The trial continues.