A 60-year-old Croatian national stabbed his estranged wife to death with a machete on a street near the marketplace in Kelkheim, Germany, on the evening of 14 July 2026, prosecutors said. The 58-year-old victim suffered at least 30 slash and stab wounds to her head, neck, and upper body in the attack, which took place around 9 p.m. before numerous witnesses.
Bystanders overpowered the attacker and held him until police arrived. The Frankfurt public prosecutor's office has issued an arrest warrant charging the suspect with murder motivated by base reasons, citing extreme jealousy and possessiveness as the driving factors.
The couple had been married since 1991 but had lived apart for roughly three years. The victim had expressed a wish to divorce in August 2025, and the suspect had repeatedly threatened to kill her if she went through with the separation. He was already known to police for prior disputes and threats. The victim had declined an offer of police protection.