Axe father murders five of his family
An Austrian father slaughtered his wife, daughter, parents and father-in-law with an axe then surrendered to police.
Officers said they first found the bodies of the man’s wife and seven-year-old daughter in their home in a wealthy district of Vienna.
They then discovered the other bodies in Upper Austria province, in the cities of Linz and Ansfelden.
Police said the man turned himself in today and told police what had happened.
The man, identified only as a 39-year-old public relations consultant, said he wanted to spare his family the shame of financial ruin he caused through speculative financial dealings.
His wife worked in the Finance Ministry.
Police said the man told them he began by killing his 42-year-old wife and daughter yesterday morning, before driving to Ansfelden where he beat his parents, aged 72 and 69, to death.
He said he then drove to Linz, where he murdered his 80-year-old father-in-law in the early evening.
The man is currently undergoing further questioning in Vienna.
“He is completely matter of fact ... without emotion,” a police spokesman said.
