Triple homicide in Cape Verde: Charges filed against 19-year-old from Eifel

The course of events according to the indictment

Subsequently, the accused allegedly attacked his father and his father's partner. A struggle ensued, during which the 19-year-old allegedly inflicted a multitude of stab and cut wounds on both victims. The two also died at the scene.

During the incident, the father's partner managed to make an emergency call. Via a messenger service, she reached a relative in Germany with her mobile phone, who then alerted the police. The crime occurred on the island of São Vicente, which belongs to Cape Verde.

Escape and arrest in Lisbon

After the crime, the accused initially fled. He flew to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. There, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, he was arrested based on an arrest warrant issued by the Trier public prosecutor's office.

In mid-January 2026, the 19-year-old was extradited to Germany and has been in pre-trial detention ever since. The motive for the crime remains unclear. The accused has not yet commented on the allegations.

Unclear motive and silent accused

The case had caused shockwaves beyond the region. The family was on vacation in Cape Verde over the Christmas holidays when the violent act occurred. The accused most recently lived in the Eifel region, thus falling under the jurisdiction of the Trier public prosecutor's office.

It is not yet known when the trial before the juvenile chamber will begin. The court will now decide on the admissibility of the indictment and the opening of the main proceedings. If convicted, the young adult faces a prison sentence of several years, although juvenile criminal law allows for milder sanctions than general criminal law.