German Couple Accused of Murdering a Lookalike to Fake Her Death and Begin New Life

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY – A woman and a man are set to stand trial after being accused of the murder of a woman who bore a striking resemblance to the female suspect. The 24-year-old woman and her 25-year-old accomplice are alleged to have sought out a look-alike victim in an elaborate scheme to fake the woman’s death and disappear.

According to prosecutors, the pair had planned to start a new life by going into hiding after the fake death, but their plan unraveled when investigators discovered that the body they had intended to pass off as the woman’s was not who they believed it to be. Both accused individuals have denied the charges against them.

The woman is said to have found people who resembled her on social media platforms and attempted to arrange a meeting with them. She allegedly lured a woman by offering her the chance to appear in a music video with a popular rapper, but the invitation turned out to be fake.

Prosecutors claim that the accused pair lured the victim, an Algerian woman named Khadidja O, with the promise of a free beauty treatment in exchange for promoting the salon to her followers. The meeting took a sinister turn when the victim was picked up in the suspects’ car and subsequently murdered.

In addition to the murder allegations, the pair is also accused of attempting to hire a contract killer to murder the woman’s former partner’s brother. The male suspect is facing additional claims of trying to persuade a fellow inmate to kill witnesses while in custody.

The first day of the trial took place on Tuesday, and proceedings were temporarily delayed as the defense requested extra time to examine new evidence submitted by prosecutors. The court is expected to decide on whether to suspend proceedings next week.