ALBANY, N.Y. (RTW News) — A man has admitted to killing and burying his parents eight years ago in the backyard of their upstate New York home during a television interview this week, then was arrested as he left the studio.
The shocking on-camera confession from Lorenz Kraus, 53, aired Thursday, a day after authorities recovered two bodies from the residence in Albany. This disclosure came while investigating discrepancies in Social Security payments made to Kraus’ parents, Franz and Theresia, who had not been seen or heard from in years.
Kraus initiated contact with CBS6, where he participated in a half-hour interview, describing the tragic circumstances as mercy killings for his elderly and ailing parents.
“They knew that this was it for them, that they were perishing at your hand?” news anchor Greg Floyd pressed.
“Yes,” Kraus responded calmly. “And it was so quick.”
Initially hesitant to directly admit his actions, Kraus eventually acknowledged the killings, asserting that his parents understood their decline. “I did my duty to my parents,” he expressed, citing his concern for their suffering as paramount.
Kraus was apprehended moments after exiting the television studio and has been charged with two counts of murder. During a brief court appearance on Friday, a public defender entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
Stone Grissom, the news director at CBS6, revealed that Kraus had emailed a two-page statement to the station, which included his phone number. Upon verification, Kraus disclosed on a phone call that he had buried his parents in his yard. When asked directly if he killed them, he responded, “I plead the Fifth.”
In a surprising turn, Kraus agreed to come to the studio for an interview, where Grissom ensured he was unarmed before the meeting took place. A plainclothes police officer was present during the interview, which was conducted on short notice.
Albany County Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol expressed concerns about the interview process, suggesting that if media acted as an agent of law enforcement, it could impact the admissibility of Kraus’ statements during trial.
The investigation leading to the discovery of the bodies stemmed from financial inquiry, revealing Kraus was allegedly collecting benefits meant for his deceased parents for personal use. Authorities suspect the bodies are those of Franz Kraus, 92, and Theresia Kraus, 83, but confirmed identifications are pending.
