Migrant Tells Police: I Murdered Teacher Because He Fancied My 20-Year-Old Daughter

The Afghan migrant who brutally murdered a teacher in Germany explains to police the motive behind the crime.

A 58-year-old migrant from Afghanistan killed 55-year-old teacher Medhi H. in cold blood after what was assumed to be a heated argument back in February. The case left investigators puzzled and it took over a month to make an arrest in the case.

Now the reason for the argument, and the motive for murder, has apparently been revealed. The migrant told police that the 55-year-old German-Iranian teacher had fallen in love with his 20-year-old daughter and that he had intentions to marry her.

Lars Janssen, spokesman for the prosecution in Celle told Die Welt Thursday, “the accused stated that the victim had wanted to take his eldest daughter as his wife.” According to the prosecution, the teacher was well known to the perpetrator’s family and he had a close relationship with them.

German media had speculated on the motive for the crime with at least one publication saying that the teacher had feelings for the migrant’s daughter but this was the first confirmation since the 58-year-old’s arrest.

The victim of the crime was of Iranian origin and had met the Afghani family in a nearby migrant camp where he had volunteered his time to help people he thought were in desperate need. Coming from a migrant background he likely felt a kinship with those fleeing from their countries. He also worked as an interpreter  and befriended many migrants at the camp. He even let many migrants stay at his house while they were looking for accommodation outside the migrant camp. The same welcoming attitude led to the murder of an American au pair in Vienna last year when she attempted to help a Gambian migrant avoid deportation and in return he strangled her to death.

The accused migrant has so far been charged with manslaughter by the Celle courts. The court accuses him of killing the teacher with a large rock and a blunt metal object due to the dispute over the migrant’s daughter. According to local press the migrant had come to the region in December along with his wife and six children.

The prosecution maintains that so far there is no evidence beyond the word of the accused, that the 55-year-old teacher had any interest in his daughter sexual or otherwise. The teacher worked at a nearby high school in Celle and was said to be very popular among the students. The school held a large memorial service on school grounds that was well attended. The teacher’s body was flown to Iran where he was buried in Tehran in early March. It was his wish to be buried in the presence of his family and friends.