Marianne Bachmeier’s daughter was murdered in 1980.
Marianne Bachmeier was devastated when her daughter Anna, aged just 7, was found deceased on May 5, 1980.
The perpetrator, Klaus Grabowski, admitted to the heinous murder of little Anna and subsequently faced trial for his crimes.
His capture came about after his own fiancé, horrified by his actions, contacted the authorities, leading to his arrest and confession to the murder of the young girl.
He vehemently denied these allegations, despite his criminal background including a previous conviction for child molestation at the age of 35.
Driven by profound grief and anger, she decided to intervene in a drastic way.
In a shocking turn of events, she fired eight shots, with six bullets striking Grabowski.
Witnesses at the scene recounted hearing Bachmeier declare her intention to ‘kill’ the ‘butcher’ by aiming ‘in the face.’
Following the shooting, which resulted in Grabowski’s death on the courtroom floor, Bachmeier herself was arrested and subsequently stood trial for his murder.
Her act ignited widespread debate about the morality and legality of her actions, particularly in the context of avenging her seven-year-old daughter’s murder and potential sexual assault.
Eventually, in 1983, Bachmeier was convicted of premeditated manslaughter. She received a sentence of six years but was released from prison after serving only three.
Years later, on December 26, 2022, a video reenactment of Bachmeier’s act of vengeance in the courtroom was uploaded to YouTube, reviving discussion around the case.
Another viewer expressed solidarity, stating: “We would’ve all done the same.”
