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Lorenz Kraus, a 53-year-old from Albany, New York, confessed to murdering his parents during a television interview on WRGB on Thursday (September 25). He admitted to killing and burying his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, in the backyard of their home eight years ago. Kraus was arrested immediately after the interview outside the WRGB TV studios in Niskayuna.
The confession came just a day after police discovered two bodies at the Kraus family home in Albany. This discovery was part of a financial crimes investigation involving multiple agencies, including the State Police and the Albany County District Attorney's office. The investigation began after it was found that the Kraus parents were still receiving Social Security payments despite being unaccounted for over several years.
Lorenz Kraus appeared in Albany City Court on Friday (September 26), where he was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of concealing a corpse. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Albany County District Attorney Lee Kindlon emphasized that while Kraus's on-camera confession is significant, the case will also rely on physical evidence and witness testimonies to build a solid prosecution.
Kraus reportedly sent a document described as a manifesto to local media outlets, but Albany County Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol advised against reading too much into it. She stated that her office is exploring all possibilities for Kraus's defense. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for October 1.