An Austrian woman died after her husband allegedly brutally beat and raped her while she was “extremely intoxicated” — sparking a haunting probe that local media have dubbed “Pelicot 2.0.”
The man, 51, allegedly sexually abused his “defenseless” wife and left her severely injured and bleeding at her home in Marchtrenk, near Wels in Upper Austria, on June 26, CNN reported.
The woman, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.
She suffered blunt force trauma to her abdomen and genital area during the grisly abuse and bled to death during what authorities referred to as a “sex game,” Austrian newspaper Krone reported.
Investigators are now probing whether other men may have also raped the woman, possibly in exchange for money, prosecutors in Wels told CNN. But Austrian prosecutors said they cannot yet confirm reports of a larger “rape network.”
A 51-year-old neighbor is in custody, along with the husband, after allegedly confessing to sexually abusing the woman, including on the night she died, the outlet reported.
Only the husband, however, has been linked with the sexual act that caused her death, authorities said.
He allegedly initially described his wife’s death as an “accident” that happened while they were having sex, though her injuries “indicate violence,” according to authorities.
The woman was also reportedly “extremely intoxicated” during the abuse, though it is unclear whether she was drugged, the outlet reported.
Austrian media have dubbed the case as “Pelicot 2.0,” likening it to the horrific case of Frenchwoman Gisèle Pelicot, whose ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was convicted of drugging her and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her in their home over nearly a decade.
The woman’s husband is being investigated for allegations of abuse of a defenseless or impaired person, resulting in death, which could put him behind bars for 10 to 20 years, or up to life.
He also faces a possible murder charge, depending on what investigators uncover about the alleged sexual abuse.
It is unclear what charges the neighbor is facing.
