"Das Prinzip Mord"

True Crime reading with Sascha Lapp and David Sarno

„The Principle of Murder – On the trail of real crimes”

Behind the scenes of a murder investigation: The case “Sixteen Seconds”

Often, months or even years lie between a murder and its resolution. For the investigators, the real work then begins: securing evidence, recognizing connections, and finding answers – even where there are initially neither witnesses nor an obvious motive. In “The Principle of Murder,” authors and filmmakers Sascha Lapp and David Sarno take their audience behind the scenes of real criminal investigations. They report on authentic criminal cases they researched for ZDF and their similarly titled non-fiction book.

At the center of the evening is the case “Sixteen Seconds”: Just before Christmas 2016, a masked man enters a kiosk in Wiesbaden-Biebrich. Seconds later, shots are fired. The 59-year-old owner dies, while her husband and nephew are severely injured. After only 16 seconds, the perpetrator disappears.

What follows is an extensive search for a man of whom investigators initially have little more than blurry images. Surveillance cameras, tiny traces, and meticulous investigative work become crucial building blocks. However, it remains unclear for a long time who is behind the act – and why three people should die in this kiosk.

As a special guest, murder investigator Ralf Möbus accompanies the evening. He was significantly involved in the investigations and reports firsthand on the search for the perpetrator, crucial turning points, and the moment when individual traces finally lead to a suspect.

With exclusive images from the investigation files, moving background stories, and insights into the work of criminal police and forensics, the event shows how real murder investigations proceed: detailed, scientifically sound, and often more surprising than any fiction.

Sascha Lapp, born in 1972 in Offenbach am Main, is a journalist and author. For more than 20 years, he has worked for the Hessischer Rundfunk radio and for ARD as a reporter, moderator, and editor. His own radio column, the “Police Report,” has been regionally successful and has been published in book form. For many years, he has produced documentaries for various true crime formats of ZDF and ZDFinfo.

David Sarno, born in 1982 in Offenbach am Main, works as a freelance author, filmmaker, and director. He also produces documentaries for several true crime formats of ZDF and ZDFinfo. His film and performance projects have been featured at numerous festivals and exhibitions and have won several awards.

If you have any questions, please contact the organizer.