Dariusz Kotwica

Dariusz Paweł Kotwica (born 1986), known as the Euro Ripper, he is thought to be responsible for additional murders in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. The mentally ill Kotwica is currently in a treatment centre in Göllersdorf, Austria.

Biography Early life Kotwica grew up in Metalchem, a housing estate on the outskirts of Opole, a city in southern Poland. Although described as an average, normal guy, he was known around the area for always wearing a tracksuit when walking around the estate.

Kotwica was raised solely by his mother and never met his father. Despite his failing grades in school and truancy, Kotwica was considered very intelligent, and was notably interested in Greek mythology. Sometime around 2005, he left his native Poland and began travelling around Europe,

On 21 May, Kotwica broke into the home of 75-year-old local politician Gerhard Hintermeier and his 74-year-old wife, Erna.

Capture, trial and sentence Kotwica was the subject of an international manhunt and was arrested on 8 June 2015 at a railway station in Düsseldorf, after being caught on surveillance cameras using the dead couple's ATM card. He was quickly extradited to Austria, where he soon confessed to committing the double murder. Kotwica also admitted having killed Ehrlander, whose car keys were found in his possession. When questioned on his motive, Kotwica confessed that he felt "joy" when torturing his innocent and randomly-selected victims.

Kotwica was soon sent to court, where he claimed that his "inner voices" were telling him to kill. Psychiatrists thoroughly examined him, concluding that he has had paranoid schizophrenia for at least 10 years. Kotwica was found guilty and convicted of murdering the Hintermeiers and Ehrlander, but as a result of his mental illness, was transferred to a treatment centre in Göllersdorf, Austria where he is currently detained.