Michal Semanský

Michal Semanský
Born1975 (age 49–50)
Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Czechoslovakia
Other names"The Angel of Death"
Conviction(s)Murder x3
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment
Details
Victims3
Span of crimes
2009–2012
CountryCzech Republic
Date apprehended
January 2012

Michal Semanský (born 1975), known as The Angel of Death (Czech: Anděl smrti),[1] is a Czech serial killer who murdered three elderly people from 2009 to 2012 with the motive to robbery. He would later be tried, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Murders

On 30 September 2009, Semanský rode from Dvůr Králové nad Labem to Sudkov on a bicycle, a trip of about 300 kilometers, to borrow some money from his 72-year-old uncle.[2] While the uncle had given him money on previous occasions, this time he refused, as Semanský still had not paid him back for previous times he had borrowed money.[3] Unwilling to leave without the money, Semanský strangled his uncle to death and then stole 90,000 CZK with which he wanted to pay off his and his girlfriend's rent and to take care of his adopted daughter.[4] Before leaving the house, he set the house on fire. Because of the fire, initial thoughts was that the old man died in an accident.[5] Semanský then took a taxi home, which cost him around 2,000 CZK.

On 20 February 2011, Semanský learned that a 67-year-old relative of his, who was visiting from Prague, intended to report him for stealing alcohol and committing other crimes.[3] He then traveled to the man's house in Lípa nad Orlicí, strangled him and initially hid the body by placing it on the bed, but then changed his mind and threw it down a well the following day.[5]

On 18 January 2012, Semanský decided to rob a house in Týniště nad Orlicí, which he previously broke into on 21 December 2011, when he had stolen less than 10,000 CZK.[3] This time, he came across the 74-year-old homeowner, who became frightened and handed him less than 8,000 CZK.[3] Instead of leaving her alone, Semanský locked her up in a closet, where the woman suffocated to death after a few hours.[5]

Arrest, investigation and trial

A week after committing the murder, Semanský was arrested. He willingly cooperated with police and confessed to all the murders, but claimed that he did not intend to kill any of them.[5]

In November 2012, he was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Regional Court in Hradec Králové. Semanský appealed against the verdict, but in January 2013, the High Court in Prague upheld the sentence.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Anděl smrti. Za maskou dobráka se ukrýval chladnokrevný trojnásobný vrah" [Angel of Death. Behind the mask of a good guy was a cold-blooded triple murderer]. Dvojka (in Czech). 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024.
  2. ^ Jitka Kačánová (20 July 2023). "Vrah důchodců Semanský zabíjel jen kvůli penězům!" [The pensioner killer Semanský only killed for money!]. NasRegion.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 27 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Petr Vaňous (2 November 2012). "Za vraždu tří seniorů má muž pykat ve vězení do konce života" [A man is to spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of three senior citizens]. Deník (in Czech). Archived from the original on 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ Nina Ortová (9 September 2019). "Semanskému bylo jedno, že znovu zabije! Pro dceru by udělal cokoliv" [Semanský didn't care that he would kill again! He would do anything for his daughter]. TN.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 29 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Vraždu tří seniorů si Semanský odpyká doživotním trestem" [Semanský is serving life sentence for the murder of three senior citizens]. Deník (in Czech). 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024.
  6. ^ Mikuláš Klang (15 January 2013). "Je to dobrý člověk, hájil právník vraha tří lidí. Soud potvrdil doživotí" [He is a good person, the lawyer defended the killer of three people. The court confirmed the sentence]. iDnes (in Czech). Archived from the original on 27 June 2024.