Man Charged with Murder After Confessing on Camera to Killing Parents and Burying Them in Backyard

A man from Albany, who previously confessed publicly on television to murdering his elderly parents and hiding their bodies in his yard, has been formally charged in connection with the crimes.

Lorenz Kraus, 53, appeared in court to face two counts of murder and two counts of concealment of a human corpse. He claims he did not commit the crimes against his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, who went missing eight years ago.

During a court appearance, Kraus remained silent, avoiding questions about the allegations. However, he had previously made startling remarks in an interview with CBS6, in which he admitted to burying his parents in his backyard.

Lorenz Kraus at his arraignment — Lorenz Kraus, accused of murder, appeared in court but remained silent about the charges.

Kraus described his actions as mercy killings due to his parents’ declining health. He recounted that his mother was injured crossing a road and his father became unable to drive after eye surgery. Kraus confessed to choking his father and strangling his mother with a rope, claiming he was trying to help them escape suffering.

He revealed that it took him several days to decide to bury their bodies in the backyard. The discovery of the remains resulted from an investigation into financial crimes, where authorities found Kraus allegedly collecting his parents’ benefits posthumously.

According to reports, Kraus first contacted news outlets via a lengthy, conspiracy-filled statement containing his phone number. When questioned, he admitted in an interview to having buried his parents but invoked his right to silence on whether he was responsible for their deaths.

Following the interview, Kraus was taken into custody and held without bail. His lawyer indicated they would review the legality of the interview’s content, especially considering the possibility of media influence in the police investigation.

House with yard where bodies were buried — The bodies of the victims were buried in the backyard, uncovered after a police search prompted by financial crimes investigation.

Kraus, a graduate of Albany High School and Siena University, was valedictorian and majored in political science. He remains in custody, awaiting further legal proceedings.