Fritz Honka
Serial killer
Jürgen Bartsch
Serial killer · Germany · 1962
Jürgen Bartsch was born out of wedlock in post-war Germany. He lost his mother…
4 victims
Manfred Wittman
Serial killer · Germany · 1968
Manfred Wittman was known as “The Beast of Oberfranken”. On December 25, 1959,…
3 victims
Bruno Lüdke
Serial killer · Germany · 1928
Bruno Lüdke (3 April 1908 – 26 April 1944) was an alleged German serial killer.…
84 victims
Kenneth Halliwell
Murderer · United Kingdom · 1967
Kenneth Halliwell (born in 1926, died August 9, 1967) was a British actor and w…
1 victim
John Gordon
Murderer? · USA · 1843
John Gordon (died February 14, 1845) was executed by hanging on February 14, 18…
1 victim
Ricky Lee Green
Serial killer · USA · 1985
Offender: Ricky Lee Green (#984) · October 8, 1997 — Scheduled execution date.…
12 victims
Richard Angelo
Serial killer · USA · 1987
Richard Angelo was 26 years old when he went to work at Good Samaritan Hospital…
25 victims
Clifton Lamar Williams
Murderer · USA · 2005
Clifton Lamar Williams (TDCJ Number 999515) was born on 08/23/1983. He was rece…
1 victim
- Gender
- male
- Country
- Germany
- Location
- Hamburg, Germany
- Date of birth
- J uly 31, 1935
- Age at first offence
- 36
- Characteristics
- serial rapist, alcohol, motive unclear, torture, abuse
- Victim profile
- Gertrud Bräuer,43 / Anna Beuschel, 55 / Frieda Roblick, 58 / Ruth Schult, 52 (prostitutes)
- Method of murder
- Strangulation
- Date(s) of murder
- 1971 - 1974
- Years active
- 1971–1974
- Date of arrest
- January 1975
- Status
-
Died in custody
Sentenced to life in prison, 1975; released in 1993; died on October 19, 1998
Case identification
Fritz Honka
Background
Fritz Honka was a German serial killer. He killed at least four prostitutes from Hamburg's red light district between 1971 and 1974. He kept the bodies in his flat.
Fritz Honka was described as extremely insecure and was 5'5". He liked women shorter than himself and also liked them toothless. His stated fear involved having his genitals mutilated during oral sex. He fortified himself with alcohol against the stench from the bodies.
He spent his last years under the name of Peter Jensen in an old peoples home. He died in hospital in Hamburg-Langenhorn on 19 October 1998.
The offence
Between 1971 and 1974, Fritz Honka killed at least four prostitutes from Hamburg's red light district. After the murders, he kept the bodies in his flat.
Investigation
In January 1975, firemen found mummified remains after a fire in the house. In custody, Honka said he killed the women after they mocked his preference for oral sex over "straight" intercourse.
Arrest
Honka was not present when the mummified remains were found because he was on shift as a night watchman. He was arrested when he returned home.
Trial
After a short trial in custody, Honka pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment, described as the maximum in Germany at that time.
Sentencing
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975.
Outcome
Fritz Honka was released in 1993.
Aftermath
Other details
Fritz Honka torched the flat on June 17, 1975.
The record stated that when neighbours complained about the stench, Honka doused the place with quarts of cheap deodorant.
His victims were in Hamburg's red light district.
Zeißstraße 74 in Ottensen was mentioned as the location of his small attic room.
German director Andreas Schnaas said that his film Violent Shit series was very loosely based on the exploits of Fritz Honka.
Spotted an error, or have more information about this case?