A tranquil Swiss village was shaken Tuesday evening, May 21, 2024 when a naked man in Alma Park, Männedorf, Switzerland fatally attacked a 35-year-old woman. The perpetrator, a 19-year-old Swiss man, was reportedly running around the park screaming and physically attacking people before the incident. The Zurich Cantonal Police confirmed Thursday that the suspect confessed to the crime during questioning.
The attack occurred in Männedorf, a typically peaceful village 12 miles southeast of Zurich. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was discovered severely injured on the ground by emergency responders. Despite immediate resuscitation attempts, she died from her injuries at the scene.
Another individual, a 50-year-old man, sustained minor injuries during the attack. The police have not disclosed whether a weapon was involved in the crime. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and authorities are investigating whether the suspect knew his victims. “According to current knowledge, the suspected perpetrator knew neither the killed woman nor the lightly injured man,” stated the police.
Mayor Wolfgang Annighofer of Männedorf expressed his shock over the incident. “It’s a popular park, especially in the summer when people come to enjoy the scenery and sometimes have small celebrations,” he said. Annighofer also noted that security measures around the park would be heightened following the incident.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene in Alma Park. A passerby reported seeing the naked suspect running around in circles and screaming before attacking the woman. An employee at the nearby Villa Alma retirement home said they watched the scene unfold from a distance of nearly 500 feet. “It’s unbelievable what happened here. I was shocked when I learned about it this morning,” said a local park gardener.
The suspect, who had no previous record of violent crimes in the canton (similar to a state) of Zurich, has been placed in pre-trial detention at the request of the cantonal public prosecutor. The investigation is ongoing, with the Zurich Forensic Science Institute and Zurich University’s Institute of Forensic Medicine involved in gathering evidence and examining the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Alma Park, a popular local picnic spot next to Lake Zurich, reopened to the public shortly after the incident, though the crime scene remained cordoned off. The park surrounds the Villa Alma, a neo-Gothic residence built for industrialist Emil Staub, who expanded his family business into Switzerland’s leading leather production plant. The villa now functions as a retirement home.
The village of Männedorf, with its lakeside villas and nearly 12,000 residents, is known for its low crime rate, making the attack all the more shocking to the local community. “People come to the park in the evenings to relax, have picnics, and sometimes go for a swim nearby. They make good use of the park,” said Mayor Annighofer.
Authorities continue to investigate the background and possible motives behind the attack.
