Murder in Eschenlohe: The "Grandma Trinchen" case was 20 years ago

It's been 20 years since a murder took place in Eschenlohe.

The 82-year-old Katharina H. was suffocated in her apartment in the guest house zur Mühle.

Parts of the relatives, urgently suspect at the time, but acquitted, still live in the house on Mühlstrasse.

Eschenlohe

- Everyone in town knew her, Anton Kölbl is sure of that. “All of us went to dinner with her at some point,” says the mayor of Eschenlohe. Katharina H., who many simply called "Grandma Trinchen", ran the guest house zur Mühle on Mühlstrasse for many years. A popular meeting place for young and old - which was to turn into a murder scene on August 14, 2001. These days it is the 20th anniversary of the act of horror.

The 82-year-old pensioner Katharina H. was found dead in her apartment in the guest house by a geriatric nurse on the morning of August 14, 2001.

The relatives reacted at least in an unusual way from the start and immediately notified three doctors who were supposed to confirm a natural death.

But it quickly became clear to the doctors: Of course, nobody had died here.

They called the police - and thus triggered one of the largest criminal police operations in Eschenlohe's history.

25-year-old grandson and his parents barricaded themselves at home

Because when the police arrived at the guest house, the victim's 25-year-old grandson and his parents (then 54 and 59 years old) barricaded themselves in the neighboring house, which also belonged to the family. After Katharina H.'s son, as a hunter, was known to have firearms, the police requested reinforcement of the special task force from Munich. The large contingent besieged the house for hours, trying to get in touch with the three relatives - in vain. When shots were fired from the balcony in the direction of the emergency services at around 11 p.m., they finally stormed the building. Around two hours later, all three suspects were arrested without anyone being injured.

In the following year the three Eschenloher stood before the district court Munich II. The prosecution accused them of suffocating the sick, bedridden Katharina H. with a soft object, a blanket or a pillow.

The vile motive: save maintenance costs.

However, despite the acute suspicion, the process ended with an acquittal.

It was not possible to prove which of the three defendants contributed which part of the crime, according to the verdict.

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Location of the night of the murder: Katharina H. was suffocated to death 20 years ago in the guest house zur Mühle.

Today the house on Mühlstrasse is overgrown with tall trees and wild bushes.

© Dominik Bartl

20 years later, the grandson and his mother are still living in the old guest house. Overgrown with tall trees and bushes and without a connection to the water network, they largely isolate themselves from society there. Even if they no longer own the guest house. In a foreclosure auction, it ended up in the possession of a family who also come from Eschenlohe. Since then, it has tried in vain to get the previous owner out of the house. “A classic case of squatting,” says one family member. "Unfortunately, the mill of the judiciary is grinding slowly." However, a procedure is already underway. "We just hope that we can get in one day."

Joachim Loy has often made the acquaintance of the H. family. The Murnau police chief drove to Eschenlohe several times a month, for example to bring official correspondence over personally. The family refuses to take mail. Neighbor disputes also had to be settled again and again. "It's always about the same topic," says Loy. The family is of the incontrovertible opinion that they still own the guest house and large parts of Eschenlohe. However, it does not provide any evidence for this. “It's been very quiet lately,” Loy emphasizes. "Almost unsettlingly calm."