A German anti-vaxer who throttled his mother before firing crossbow bolts into her head in revenge for her making him have jabs as a child has been sentenced to just 11 years in jail.
Moritz Ruhnke told the court he had executed his mother in revenge for her taking him for vaccinations that he said had ruined his life, leaving him with mental problems and asthma.
The final straw, he said, was when he found his mother was continuing to give the same jabs to his younger brother, and he wanted to save his sibling from suffering the same fate.
The defendant called the police to tell them he had killed his mother, Sandra Ruhnke, 54, in March of this year.
Head Judge Matthias Goers sentenced the 21-year-old, on trial in Hof, Bavaria State, to a lower sentence of 11 years in prison based on psychiatric reports indicating he had mental problems.
In his statement on 26th October, the judge referred to an expert’s report determining that the killer had suffered from hallucinations.
Ruhnke will be transferred to a psychiatric clinic after his prison term.
In his court statement, Ruhnke claimed he had known for months that he would kill his mother and blamed the killing on “damage” caused by years of vaccines and jabs he had been given while growing up.
He said: “I’ve been damaged by the formaldehyde, aluminium and heavy metal I was injected with.”
Prosecutors say that Ruhnke strangled his mother with a knotted pillowcase before firing two crossbow bolts into her head at his flat in the Bavarian town of Thiersheim.
Rhunke then called the police. He reportedly told the cops upon their arrival: “I’ve just killed my mum.”
Ruhnke told judges had argued with his mother as she gave him a lift home from his apprenticeship at a foundry.
Speaking about the killing, he said: “I wanted it to happen quickly and painlessly.”
Investigators discovered an axe in the suspect’s bed.
Victim Sandra was, in contrast to her son, a supporter of vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2021, she captioned a photo on social media saying: “Alright, got my second jab. All went well.”
Sandra also added a “Vaccinated! United against COVID.” frame to her profile picture on social media.
Prosecutors believe the killing was triggered by doctors urging his mother to vaccinate his younger brother against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
The virus can cause genital warts and has been linked to penile and anal cancer.
Ruhnke told judges: “She was dishonest all the time. She told me tales.
“I had a quick look into my brother’s vaccination certificate only to find out that she continued to have him vaccinated.“
Ruhnke added: “I knew there was no other way. My conscience was a heavy burden. I was left without a choice.
“Drastic measures were needed to spare my brother from having the same experiences as me.“
The victim’s younger son, who has not been named in court, suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHS).
Ruhnke argued in court he had found it difficult to focus as a teenager after getting various vaccination jabs as ordered by his mum.
The convict also claimed he was suffering from asthma due to his mother’s stance on inoculations.
Sandra’s obituary, published in local newspapers by relatives, read in part: “Don’t be sad when you think of me.
“Instead, leave a place for me between you as I enjoyed it with you. I’m not far, just on the other side of the path.”