The Murder of Alexandra R. — Heavily Pregnant Woman Vanished in Nuremberg

Alexandra R., 39 years old and eight months pregnant, disappeared on December 9, 2022, from the Katzwang district in the southern part of Nuremberg, Bavaria. She was never seen alive again, and her body has never been found. Despite the absence of physical remains, two men were convicted of her murder in 2024 — making the case one of the most closely followed German criminal cases in recent years.

The Case at a Glance

The case of Alexandra R. is widely regarded as a rare and significant example of a successful murder prosecution without a body — known in German legal terminology as Mord ohne Leiche. German criminal law, like many other legal systems, does not require a body as a prerequisite for a murder conviction, provided the remaining evidence meets the required standard of proof. The case attracted widespread attention across Germany and was covered extensively by public broadcaster BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk). ARD also dedicated a documentary series to the case, Mord ohne Leiche – Der Fall Alexandra R., examining both the legal complexities and the human dimensions of a murder with no recoverable victim.

The Disappearance

On December 9, 2022, Alexandra R. was reported missing. She was 39 years old and in her eighth month of pregnancy at the time of her disappearance from Katzwang, a district in southern Nuremberg. Investigators quickly determined that her disappearance was not voluntary. She never returned, and no one has seen her alive since.

Charges were brought against two men with close ties to the victim: Dejan B., described as Alexandra's former partner, and Ugur T., described as Dejan's business associate. The charges included kidnapping and murder.

The Investigation

The investigation was led by Bavarian police and prosecutors and extended over a substantial period leading up to the 2024 trial. Because no body was ever found, the case rested entirely on indirect evidence — including witness testimony, forensic traces, and communications data. The investigation illustrates that a no-body murder case presents exceptional challenges for both law enforcement and the courts, requiring prosecutors to reconstruct events and establish guilt without the most fundamental piece of physical evidence.

The case drew broad media attention throughout Bavaria and across Germany, and the ARD documentary series brought it to an even wider audience.

Trial and Verdict

The case was heard before the Landgericht Nürnberg-Fürth, the regional court with jurisdiction over serious criminal matters in the Nuremberg area. On July 24, 2024, the court delivered its verdict.

Both defendants — Dejan B. and Ugur T. — were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court additionally determined besondere Schwere der Schuld — a finding of particular gravity of guilt — a designation under German criminal law that makes it significantly more difficult for a convicted person to be considered for parole after serving the minimum term of fifteen years.

The verdict was appealed, but the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH) — Germany's highest court for criminal matters, roughly equivalent to a Supreme Court — upheld the sentences. The judgment is now final.

Where the Case Stands Today

With the Federal Court of Justice's confirmation of the sentences, the criminal proceedings in the case of Alexandra R. are concluded. Dejan B. and Ugur T. are serving life sentences, and the court's finding of particular gravity of guilt means their path to parole is substantially restricted.

Alexandra R.'s body remains undiscovered. The case stands as a rare example of a successful murder prosecution without a body in the German legal system — and as a reminder that the absence of a victim does not necessarily mean the absence of justice.

truecrime.news has chosen not to publish further personal details about the victim or the convicted men beyond what appears in verified court records and source material.