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The search for a fourth suspect in the Leonie case – the 13-year-old girl was discovered dead on a green strip in Vienna-Donaustadt last weekend – is still being pursued beyond the borders of Austria. Like the three young men who are already in custody, the 22-year-old comes from Afghanistan. The wanted person has been tried and convicted three times since 2018. His deportation would have been permissible as early as 2017.
Like his co-suspects, the wanted man came to the country as an unaccompanied minor refugee and applied for asylum in 2015. Around two years later, in October 2017, a negative asylum decision was issued. A return notice was then issued, and the man filed a complaint.
Apparently nothing has happened since then, for almost four years now. A provision in the Asylum Act (Section 27 AsylG) provides that a complaint procedure must be terminated as quickly as possible if a procedure for issuing a measure terminating residence has already been initiated against the person concerned.
According to information from the APA, the 22-year-old was also informed by procedural order of the loss of his right of residence due to a criminal offense in June 2018. He also has not only been tried three times – in 2018, 2019 and 2020, apparently for violations under the Addictive Substances Act – and has been convicted, but has also been reported to the police six times – including for drug trafficking, stolen goods and assault.
It is unclear whether there are any indications of where the fugitive 22-year-old is or could be. In this regard, the authorities kept a low profile on Saturday. However, there should be intensive efforts by the police to obtain information on the whereabouts of the wanted person from the Afghan community in Vienna.
Two other suspects (18, 23) in the case – as reported in detail – had previously come into conflict with the law several times and in some cases had even served prison terms. Only the 16-year-old has so far been considered innocent.
