Richard Müller (murderer)
Encyclopedia
Richard Müller was a German
dentist
in the 1950s, convicted of murdering his wife, Gertrude.
On February 18, 1954, Müller and his spouse were on their way to their house in Otterbach
. According to Müller, they spotted a hedgehog
on the road, and they decided to take the animal home to show to their sons. After Richard Müller had gotten out of the car, the vehicle exploded. His wife was burnt alive. Suspicions against him were first aroused when it turned out he had been carrying four full jerrycan
s of petrol in his car. Apart from that, he had parked his car so close to the trees along the road that his wife apparently could not have opened the car door on her side. It's said that Müller's motive was an affair with another woman.
In 1955 he stood in court in Kaiserslautern
. He pleaded innocence, but was found guilty. He was sentenced to six years in prison
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
in the 1950s, convicted of murdering his wife, Gertrude.
On February 18, 1954, Müller and his spouse were on their way to their house in Otterbach
Otterbach
Otterbach is a municipality in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Lauter, approx. 5 km north of Kaiserslautern....
. According to Müller, they spotted a hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
on the road, and they decided to take the animal home to show to their sons. After Richard Müller had gotten out of the car, the vehicle exploded. His wife was burnt alive. Suspicions against him were first aroused when it turned out he had been carrying four full jerrycan
Jerrycan
A jerrycan is a robust fuel container originally made from pressed steel. It was designed in Germany in the 1930s for military use to hold 20 litres of fuel. The development of the Jerrycan was a huge improvement on earlier designs, which required tools and funnels to use.-Uses:Today similar...
s of petrol in his car. Apart from that, he had parked his car so close to the trees along the road that his wife apparently could not have opened the car door on her side. It's said that Müller's motive was an affair with another woman.
In 1955 he stood in court in Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
. He pleaded innocence, but was found guilty. He was sentenced to six years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
.