Bisexual politician found dead, suspected of ‘murder-suicide’
A politician has been found dead next to the body of another man, in what police believe was a murder-suicide.
A German politician has been found dead in his Berlin flat along with the body of another man.
Police say Gerwald Claus-Brunner – a member of the Pirate Party – killed himself.
However, the second, younger, man, was killed a few days earlier with a blunt instrument.
Mr Claus-Brunner – who was bisexual – allegedly had an incurable illness, according to his party, but gave no details.
A statement from the Pirate Party added that Mr Claus-Brunner would be missed.
The politician died over the weekend, although it is unclear if he and the other man died before or after Sunday’s regional election.
The result saw the party loose all 15 of its seats in the Berlin state parliament, with its share of the vote plummeting from 8.9% to 1.7%.
The second man is yet to be publicly identified, but is said to have been in his 20s.
Berliner Zeitung reported that he may have worked for Mr Claus-Brunner, with authorities claiming there was evidence that the politician had been stalking him.
The bodies were discovered after the party alerted police to a “farewell letter” sent to their offices.
Firefighters broke down the door of the politician’s apartment in Steglitz in south-west Berlin on Monday.
Mr Claus first raised concern for his wellbeing in June, as he addressed the state parliament with the warning that they would soon have to light a candle in his memory.
It is unclear whether he was referring to his alleged illness, his possible plans for suicide or his party’s terrible showing in pre-election polls.
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