Beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper has died at 31 years old. Her ex-boyfriend has been arrested in connection with her death after allegedly confessing to the crime.
The ex-boyfriend, also 31, was detained in Slovenia on November 29 near his burning car. He reportedly confessed to strangling Pieper and led authorities to her body.
Her remains were found hidden inside a suitcase in a forest in Serbia. The motive for the alleged murder remains undetermined.
Pieper was initially reported missing on November 23 after attending a Christmas party in Graz, Austria. Her loved ones contacted authorities when she failed to appear for a modeling photoshoot.
Local media reported that Pieper had contacted friends after the party, later expressing concern that someone was on her stairs. Neighbors also heard arguments and saw her ex-boyfriend before her disappearance.
Investigations quickly focused on the ex-boyfriend. Styria State Police stated that “further investigations led to the suspicion that the 31-year-old ex-boyfriend of the woman could be related to her disappearance.”
The suspect reportedly traveled to Slovenia. On November 24, Slovenian police were alerted to a car on fire in a casino parking lot in Šentilj, near the border.
The vehicle belonged to the ex-boyfriend. He was found nearby and arrested by Slovenian police. He was subsequently extradited to Austria for questioning on November 29.
Further arrests occurred on November 29 in Austria. Two male relatives of the suspect, identified as his brother and stepfather, were taken into custody in Graz-Jakomini.
Police said these individuals were arrested “for risk of obstructing justice” and are currently being interrogated. Forensic analysis of the ex-boyfriend’s car did not yield clues related to the alleged murder.
The investigation is a collaborative effort between Austrian and Slovenian authorities. Police had previously warned against unconfirmed rumors regarding the location of Pieper’s body.
Pieper was an Austrian influencer, makeup artist, and aspiring singer. She had accumulated over 47,000 followers on Instagram.
Austrian and Slovenian police, along with the Graz Public Prosecutor’s Office, are scheduled to hold a joint press conference on November 30 to provide further updates on the case.