An Albany man has made a chilling confession on-air about the murders of his elderly parents, leading to serious criminal charges against him.
During a court appearance, Lorenz Klaus, 53, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and the concealment of two bodies, stemming from the deaths of his parents, Franz and Theresia Klaus.
Klaus, during a rather astonishing interview, confirmed to CBS6’s Greg Floyd that he had indeed buried his parents in his backyard after what he described as merciful killings due to their health issues.
His mother had suffered an injury, and his father was unable to drive following cataract surgery, Klaus recalled, suggesting his actions were out of compassion.
When pressed about the nature of their deaths, specifically if he suffocated them, Klaus appeared to acknowledge the seriousness of his actions, citing his Fifth Amendment rights shortly after making a confession.
He described how he choked his father with his hands and then used a rope on his mother. This process took him several days to finalize, he noted, before deciding to bury their remains in his suburban backyard.
Stone Grissom, the news director at CBS6, recounted how Klaus initially reached out to the station with a bizarre, rambling message that included his phone number. Grissom decided to contact him, leading to the shocking interview where Klaus admitted to his actions.
Once the interview was arranged, precautions were taken to ensure safety, including checking that Klaus wasn’t armed. The interview itself was surprising for the reporter, who claimed he wasn’t briefed adequately beforehand.
After filming, Klaus was taken into custody immediately. Following the recording, he expressed that he didn’t feel relief after confessing, which he attributed to the gravity of the situation.
Klaus mentioned he was open about his statement and felt it was important for people to know. He discussed his father’s awareness of his life choices and expressed a desire for reforms to assist the aging population in New York, raising questions about moral decisions surrounding care for elderly parents.
In the aftermath, the investigation revealed Klaus had been collecting social security benefits for his deceased parents, adding a financial motive to the unfolding drama.
Rebekah Sokol, Klaus’s public defense attorney, indicated that the circumstances of the interview with the media might complicate its legal standing in court. She raised concerns about the implications of having the media act as an instrument of law enforcement in this case.
Klaus is a graduate of Albany High School and Siena University, where he was recognized as valedictorian in political science. He is currently being held without bail.
