Olaf Däter
Serial killer
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- Germany
- Location
- Bremerhaven, Germany
- Date of birth
- September 25, 1969
- Age at first offence
- 32
- Characteristics
- financial gain, nurse
- Victim profile
- Elderly women
- Method of murder
- Suffocation
- Date(s) of murder
- June 5-14, 2001
- Years active
- 2001
- Date of arrest
- June 14, 2001
- Status
-
Life imprisonment
Sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2001
Overview
Olaf Däter (born September 25, 1969 in Bremerhaven) was a German serial killer dubbed as Oma-Mörder ("Granny-Killer") by the media.
The offence
In June 2001 Däter killed five elderly women within ten days. He had previously worked as gerontological nurse for the women, and they trusted him and allowed him into their apartment. Däter attacked the women from behind and suffocated them, using his whole bodyweight.
He tried to kill a sixth woman, but she survived and told his name to the police.
Investigation
Doctors examining the first four victims did not notice severe internal injuries and declared the women to have died of natural causes. This was subject of intense public discussion.
Arrest
Däter was arrested and confessed to the murders.
Motivation and intended conduct
Däter named financial problems as motivation for his actions. At the time of the murders, he was deeply indebted. He intended to steal money from his victims after the murder, but on several occasions he did not manage to do so because he was interrupted by a doorbell.
Sentencing
In November 2001 Däter was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Landgericht Bremen.
Other details
At least one victim survived and told police Däter’s name.
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