Introduction to the Case
ALBANY, NY – SEPTEMBER 26: Lorenz F. Kraus appears in Albany City Court on Friday, the day after he was charged with killing and burying his parents in 2017 at their home on Crestwood Court. Albany County Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol stands by his side.
An Albany man was arrested and charged this week with killing his parents, after he confessed to the crimes in an interview with a local TV news station.
Investigated for Social Security Fraud
What we know: Lorenz Kraus has been charged with the murders of his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, and burying their bodies. The Albany Police Department announced his arrest on Thursday.
In a statement on Facebook, the department said the family was originally being investigated for financial crimes. Local, state and federal officers served a search warrant on the family home on Tuesday, and discovered that Franz and Thereisa Kraus hadn’t been seen or heard from in years. Officials claimed that Lorenz Kraus was still cashing in their Social Security checks.
The next day, officers found the parents’ bodies buried in the backyard.
Confession Interview
What they’re saying: On Thursday, Lorenz Kraus contacted the local CBS station in Albany, and sat down for an interview with their anchor, Greg Floyd. During the 30-minute interview, Kraus admitted to taking his parents’ lives years ago.
He told Floyd that he killed his parents in 2017, because their health was declining in their old age. When the anchor asked Kraus if his parents had asked him to kill them, he replied, "implicitly, but not explicitly," while adding that he didn’t think that it was wrong.
"You suffocated your parents," Floyd asked Kraus.
"Yeah," he replied.
Kraus said he killed his father first, "and after he died, my mother put her head on his chest, and she was there for a few hours, and then I finished her."
Kraus said he spent several days figuring out what to do with his parents’ bodies before deciding to bury them in the backyard.
According to the CBS station, officers arrested Kraus in the station parking lot after the interview.
Next Steps
What’s next: Kraus appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty, according to CBS6 Albany.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Albany Police Department and CBS6 Albany.
Conclusion
The case of Lorenz Kraus is a shocking and disturbing one, with the man confessing to killing his parents and burying their bodies in the backyard. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and Kraus has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The community is left to wonder how such a heinous crime could have gone undetected for so long.
FAQs
Q: Who is Lorenz Kraus?
A: Lorenz Kraus is an Albany man who has been charged with the murders of his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus.
Q: Why was Kraus investigated?
A: Kraus was originally being investigated for financial crimes, specifically for cashing in his parents’ Social Security checks after they had not been seen or heard from in years.
Q: How did Kraus confess to the crime?
A: Kraus confessed to the crime in an interview with a local CBS station, where he admitted to killing his parents in 2017.
Q: What is the current status of the case?
A: Kraus has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting further proceedings.
Q: What is the source of the information in this story?
A: The information in this story is from the Albany Police Department and CBS6 Albany.
