Beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper has passed away at the age of 31, and several individuals have been taken into custody regarding her death.
The Austrian publication Kronen Zeitung reported on Saturday, November 29, that Pieper’s former boyfriend was taken into custody in Slovenia near his burning vehicle.
After being detained, he reportedly admitted to strangling Pieper and guided officials to her body in a nearby wooded area, concealed within a suitcase.
The Styrian State Police in Austria initially verified that Pieper had been reported missing on Sunday, November 23, following her attendance at a Christmas celebration. Her family and friends contacted authorities when she failed to appear for a scheduled modeling photo session at work.
Local news sources Oe24 and 20 Minuten reported that Pieper initially communicated with friends after returning from a Christmas gathering in Graz, Austria, on Sunday. However, she later reached out again to voice her concern about a possible presence in her stairwell.
Austrian news outlets stated that some of Pieper’s neighbors overheard arguing and recognized her former boyfriend in the time leading up to the influencer’s disappearance.
Investigators quickly came to the conclusion that Pieper’s former boyfriend might have been involved in her disappearance.
“Subsequent investigations raised suspicions that the 31-year-old former boyfriend of the woman might be connected to her disappearance,” the Styrian State Police stated. “It is believed that the man traveled to Slovenia multiple times in his car. He could not be reached by the investigating officers.”
On Monday, November 24, Slovenian law enforcement was informed that “a car had ignited in the parking area of a casino close to the border” in Šentilj.
“The car belonged to the 31-year-old man,” police reported at the time. “He was located in close proximity to the burning vehicle and was apprehended by Slovenian police. A request has been made for his extradition to Austria.”
More updates came on Thursday, November 29, as Austrian state authorities confirmed that two male relatives of the suspect were being held at the Graz-Jakomini correctional facility in Austria because of the potential risk they could obstruct justice. Local news outlets later identified these two other family members as the suspect’s brother and stepfather.
“Two additional men belonging to the suspect’s family have been arrested in Austria. The individuals are in police custody and undergoing questioning,” police conveyed in a statement.
Around the same time, Austrian law enforcement performed a “forensic examination of the ex-boyfriend’s car, [which] turned up no evidence” regarding the alleged homicide.
“The investigation is proceeding in both Slovenia and Austria, with close cooperation between the respective authorities,” the Styrian State Police stated.
On Thursday, Austrian police further cautioned: “There are rumors spreading across various media outlets and online platforms indicating that the missing woman has been located in Slovenia. Numerous media inquiries allude to this rumor. The Styrian police are unable to verify the rumor.”
Pieper’s remains were eventually discovered in a forest in Serbia. The suspect himself was extradited to Austria to be interrogated on Friday, November 29; however, a definitive motive has not yet been established.
Representatives from the Austrian and Slovenian police forces, in conjunction with the Graz Public Prosecutor’s Office, are scheduled to conduct a joint press briefing on Sunday, November 30, to provide updates on the situation.
Pieper worked as an influencer, makeup artist, and aspiring singer in her home country of Austria. She accumulated a following of over 47,000 on Instagram.
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