The death in Binningen
The woman was killed at the couple's home in Binningen in February 2024. Her husband later admitted causing her death but argued that he had acted in self-defense. Prosecutors rejected that version and pursued a murder charge.
The prosecution case
At the 2026 trial in Muttenz, prosecutors argued that the defendant's account had changed over time and that the physical and circumstantial evidence did not support his claim of self-defense. The prosecution also charged him with disturbance of the peace of the dead because of what he did to the victim's body after the killing. This archive omits unnecessary graphic detail.
Life sentence
On May 13, 2026, the Basel-Landschaft Criminal Court convicted the defendant of murder and disturbance of the peace of the dead. The court imposed life imprisonment and substantial compensation payments to the victim's children and other close relatives.
Judgment not yet final
In a June 2026 interview about the defense strategy, SRF noted that the judgment was not yet legally final. The case is therefore classified here as adjudicated at trial, with the explicit caveat that further appellate proceedings may affect the final legal status.
Public response
The trial drew unusual public attention in Basel-Landschaft. Supporters of the victim's family gathered outside the court, and the proceedings became part of a broader Swiss discussion about femicide, domestic violence and the treatment of victims in criminal proceedings.
Sources and further reading
Case context
The Binningen case is a recent example of how Swiss courts assess contested self-defense claims in domestic homicide prosecutions. Because appellate avenues remained open after the trial judgment, the distinction between a conviction and a final judgment is essential to the record.