Latest news with #Meisner
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Clown mask-wearing survivalist massacred family after breaking into home in horror spree before 4 month manhunt
A SADISTIC survivalist who killed an entire family after breaking into their home has been found dead after a four-month manhunt. Chilling TikTok videos of the mass murderer, posted in the weeks following the attack, showed him laughing maniacally at the camera while wearing a creepy clown mask. Advertisement 7 Chilling TikTok videos of the mass murderer showed him laughing maniacally at the camera while wearing a creepy clown mask Credit: TikTok / Istasia78 7 Alexander Meisner, a 61-year-old Kazakh national, massacred an entire German family including a teenager and his parents 7 Another video showed him stripped down to his underwear and pouring freezing buckets of ice water over his head Credit: TikTok / Istasia78 Alexander Meisner, a 61-year-old Kazakh national, massacred an entire German family including a teenager and his parents. Meisner, himself a dad-of-five and grandfather, entered the Schulze family home in the Rhineland village of Weitefeld in the early hours of April 6. He carried out the evil assault in the dead of night armed with a knife and a gun. Nadine Schulze, a 44-year-old employee of a local butcher, was able to call the police and scream for help down the phone as Meisner entered the house. Advertisement read more in horror stories 'SENSELESS TRAGEDY' College professor killed by masked gunman while visiting ex-wife's home Moments later, she was stabbed and shot dead by Meisner. Police quickly responded to the haunting call and rushed round to the house. They found Nadine's lifeless body alongside her 47-year-old husband Kai and Kilian, the couple's 16-year-old son. All three had suffered fatal injuries from gunshot and stab wounds. Advertisement Some of the family were reportedly found bound with cable ties. Meisner, now nicknamed the "Westerwald Killer" had already managed to escape the scene. Devil's Den 'killer' James Andrew McGann scowls in chilling mugshot after 'murdering 2' as it's confirmed he's a TEACHER He is believed to have fled through a window and quickly became the focus of an international manhunt when he was named as the lead suspect. Police had issued an arrest warrant along with a reward of up to €10,000 leading to his capture. Advertisement Interpol also confirmed that a Red Notice had been issued for his arrest after a request by German authorities. Then on April 26, nearly three weeks after the murders, several horrifying videos were shared of Meisner online. One showed the man maniacally laughing as he stared into the camera all as he wore a clown mask. Another posted the same day showed him stripped down to his underwear and pouring freezing buckets of ice water over his head. Advertisement Officials are still unsure if Meisner was behind the clips being posted onto TikTok or if they were posted on his behalf. This is due to his body being found less than 2,000ft away from the Schulze's home on August 5. 7 Nadine Schulze, 44, was able to call the police and scream for help down the phone but was tragically still killed by Meisner 7 Police stand outside the Schulze family home in the Rhineland village of Weitefeld Credit: Thomas Frey / Avalon Advertisement 7 The wanted poster for Meisner Credit: Koblenz Police Cops said the badly decomposed corpse was partially hidden in a underwater in a swampy farmland between Weitefeld and Neunkhausen in Altenkirchen. A firearm was also found next to his remains. Detectives said due to the body's condition it is nearly impossible to determine an exact cause of death or when Meisner actually died. Advertisement They are still investigating if he took his own life, died from his injuries during the killing spree or faced another grim demise. Meisner was a known criminal to police as he had previously spent time in jail for headbutting and stabbing his ex-wife. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison in 2011 after attempting to murder his ex-wife, Theresa. Meisner is said to have only stopped the attack after one of his sons stopped him from finding another knife. Advertisement Neighbours had also warned of the behaviour from Meisner in the years before the family massacre. Melanie Hoechtlen said she reported him for harassment in October 2023. She told Bild: "He ambushed my dog and me on the path. Then he came close and asked if he could lick me. "I reported him back then. He said he had been a lone fighter in his homeland of Kazakhstan and knew how to survive in the forest for weeks." Advertisement Police have announced they have ended their investigations into the murders now that Meisner's body has been found. Mario Mannweiler, senior public prosecutor, concluded: "The fact that the whereabouts of the suspected perpetrator remained unknown for months has troubled us. "The fact that the suspect is no longer alive was an obvious option for many reasons, but without a body, other options had to be pursued. In any case, I'm relieved that this has now come to an end." 7 Officials are still unsure if Meisner was behind the clips being posted onto TikTok or if they were posted on his behalf Credit: TikTok / Istasia78
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Clown mask-wearing survivalist massacred family after breaking into home in horror spree before 4 month manhunt
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SADISTIC survivalist who killed an entire family after breaking into their home has been found dead after a four-month manhunt. Chilling TikTok videos of the mass murderer, posted in the weeks following the attack, showed him laughing maniacally at the camera while wearing a creepy clown mask. 7 Chilling TikTok videos of the mass murderer showed him laughing maniacally at the camera while wearing a creepy clown mask Credit: TikTok / Istasia78 7 Alexander Meisner, a 61-year-old Kazakh national, massacred an entire German family including a teenager and his parents 7 Another video showed him stripped down to his underwear and pouring freezing buckets of ice water over his head Credit: TikTok / Istasia78 Alexander Meisner, a 61-year-old Kazakh national, massacred an entire German family including a teenager and his parents. Meisner, himself a dad-of-five and grandfather, entered the Schulze family home in the Rhineland village of Weitefeld in the early hours of April 6. He carried out the evil assault in the dead of night armed with a knife and a gun. Nadine Schulze, a 44-year-old employee of a local butcher, was able to call the police and scream for help down the phone as Meisner entered the house. read more in horror stories 'SENSELESS TRAGEDY' College professor killed by masked gunman while visiting ex-wife's home Moments later, she was stabbed and shot dead by Meisner. Police quickly responded to the haunting call and rushed round to the house. They found Nadine's lifeless body alongside her 47-year-old husband Kai and Kilian, the couple's 16-year-old son. All three had suffered fatal injuries from gunshot and stab wounds. Some of the family were reportedly found bound with cable ties. Meisner, now nicknamed the "Westerwald Killer" had already managed to escape the scene. Devil's Den 'killer' James Andrew McGann scowls in chilling mugshot after 'murdering 2' as it's confirmed he's a TEACHER He is believed to have fled through a window and quickly became the focus of an international manhunt when he was named as the lead suspect. Police had issued an arrest warrant along with a reward of up to €10,000 leading to his capture. Interpol also confirmed that a Red Notice had been issued for his arrest after a request by German authorities. Then on April 26, nearly three weeks after the murders, several horrifying videos were shared of Meisner online. One showed the man maniacally laughing as he stared into the camera all as he wore a clown mask. Another posted the same day showed him stripped down to his underwear and pouring freezing buckets of ice water over his head. Officials are still unsure if Meisner was behind the clips being posted onto TikTok or if they were posted on his behalf. This is due to his body being found less than 2,000ft away from the Schulze's home on August 5. 7 Nadine Schulze, 44, was able to call the police and scream for help down the phone but was tragically still killed by Meisner 7 Police stand outside the Schulze family home in the Rhineland village of Weitefeld Credit: Thomas Frey / Avalon 7 The wanted poster for Meisner Credit: Koblenz Police Cops said the badly decomposed corpse was partially hidden in a underwater in a swampy farmland between Weitefeld and Neunkhausen in Altenkirchen. A firearm was also found next to his remains. Detectives said due to the body's condition it is nearly impossible to determine an exact cause of death or when Meisner actually died. They are still investigating if he took his own life, died from his injuries during the killing spree or faced another grim demise. Meisner was a known criminal to police as he had previously spent time in jail for headbutting and stabbing his ex-wife. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison in 2011 after attempting to murder his ex-wife, Theresa. Meisner is said to have only stopped the attack after one of his sons stopped him from finding another knife. Neighbours had also warned of the behaviour from Meisner in the years before the family massacre. Melanie Hoechtlen said she reported him for harassment in October 2023. She told Bild: "He ambushed my dog and me on the path. Then he came close and asked if he could lick me. "I reported him back then. He said he had been a lone fighter in his homeland of Kazakhstan and knew how to survive in the forest for weeks." Police have announced they have ended their investigations into the murders now that Meisner's body has been found. Mario Mannweiler, senior public prosecutor, concluded: "The fact that the whereabouts of the suspected perpetrator remained unknown for months has troubled us. "The fact that the suspect is no longer alive was an obvious option for many reasons, but without a body, other options had to be pursued. In any case, I'm relieved that this has now come to an end."
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Clown mask-wearing fugitive identified as suspect in German family murder
Meisner's body was found 600m away from the crime scene, partially underwater in a river, this week, bringing to an end a four-month-long manhunt. A firearm, possibly used to commit the murders, was found next to Meisner's remains. Detectives said that because the body was badly decomposed, the cause and exact time of death can no longer be determined. Police do not yet know if Meisner took his own life, died from injuries sustained during the crime, or whether there was another cause of death. But they do believe they have their killer. Meisner, who has been nicknamed the 'Westerwald Killer' by the German press, was believed to have fled through a window and was the focus of an international manhunt for nearly four months. Videos on social media of Meisner show him maniacally laughing behind a clown mask in a video posted online on April 26, nearly three weeks after the murders. Another video posted the same day shows him stripped to his underwear and pouring buckets of ice water over his head. It is unclear whether the TikTok account was run by Meisner himself or posted on his behalf. Meisner, a father of five, had previously spent time in prison after headbutting and stabbing his ex-wife. Overwhelming evidence points to Meisner A spokesman for Koblenz Police said: 'Since the overwhelming evidence clearly points to the person who has been sought for months as the perpetrator, and there are no indications of other perpetrators, the investigation comes to an end with the death of the only possible suspect.' Mario Mannweiler, senior public prosecutor, added: 'The fact that the whereabouts of the suspected perpetrator remained unknown for months has troubled us. 'The fact that the suspect is no longer alive was an obvious option for many reasons, but without a body, other options had to be pursued. In any case, I'm relieved that this has now come to an end.' The body was found on swampy farmland between Weitefeld and Neunkhausen in Altenkirchen, a west German district near the city of Cologne. Police had issued an arrest warrant for Meisner with a reward of up to €10,000 leading to his capture. Interpol confirmed that a Red Notice had been issued for his arrest after a request by German authorities. The notice listed his place of birth as Nowokusminka in Kazakhstan. Koblenz Police issued an arrest warrant for Meisner along with a reward of up to €10,000 ($19.5k) leading to his capture. Photo / Supplied A physical description issued by authorities described Meisner as 5ft 7in tall, weighing 75kg, of Kazakh descent, with blue-grey eyes, brown hair, scarring on his arms and face, and a tattoo on the back of his left hand that spells 'Katja' in Russian. In 2011, Meisner was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison after attempting to murder his ex-wife, Theresa. According to reports, during a heated argument 14 years ago, he headbutted her, then pulled a knife from the knife block and stabbed her in the back. Meisner is said to have run into a shed to grab a second knife and resume the attack, but was stopped by one of his sons. Asked neighbour if he could lick her Theresa managed to escape with non-life-threatening injuries. His mother, Alwina, 82, who lives in a neighbouring town to Weitefeld, said in an interview three days after the attack that her son had likely gone to ground nearby. She told Bild newspaper: 'Alexander built a house here, he has five children and ten grandchildren. He's been to prison before. I don't know what's going on in his mind. 'No, I won't let him in if he's standing at the door and ringing the bell. But I'm almost certain he's hiding somewhere nearby.' Melanie Hoechtlen, the suspect's 46-year-old neighbour, recounted being harassed by Meisner. She told Bild: 'I moved here with my husband in October 2023. I thought he deserved a second chance. He ambushed my dog and me on the path. Then he came close and asked if he could lick me. 'I reported him back then. He said he had been a lone fighter in his homeland of Kazakhstan and knew how to survive in the forest for weeks. I told the tip line that they should search the forest.' A tribute to the family published by relatives in a council newsletter in May reads: 'Incredibly incomprehensible, none of us can and will ever understand. Voices that were familiar to us are silent. 'The people who were always there are no longer here. What remains are happy memories that no one can take away from us. 'In the name of all members of the Sigismund family and the Schulze family. The funeral, with subsequent urn burials, took place in the presence of the closest family and friends.'
Arab News
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Scene Acting Institute holds its first workshop
DHAHRAN: The newly opened Scene Acting Institute in Alkhobar hosted its first workshop on April 22, focusing on the Meisner technique. Led by renowned academic adviser Emily Tambour, the workshop saw the participation of notable Saudi actors, including Mila Al-Zahrani and Sarah Taibah. The institute plans to hold monthly workshops covering various acting techniques, each designed to enhance the skills and creativity of aspiring artists. Scene opened on April 18 with an event hosted by the Khobar Cinema Association. The grand inauguration took place at Cinematheque in Alkhobar, attended by a diverse audience of cinema and theater enthusiasts eager to embrace a new era of artistic expression. The opening ceremony featured artistic performances that captivated attendees, including three moving acting demonstrations accompanied by live music. An exhibition highlighting the history of acting was curated and presented by renowned Saudi actor Baraa Alem. Mujtaba Saeed, the visionary Saudi film director and one of the founders of the Scene Acting Institute, described the launch as a groundbreaking moment for the Saudi art scene. 'This institute signifies a response to the vibrant artistic renaissance currently taking place in our country,' he told Arab News. 'With cinema and theater flourishing, we are proud to establish the first institute focused specifically on the art of acting.' The institute's curriculum has been meticulously crafted, drawing from both well-established acting techniques and Saudi cultural nuances. 'Our programs are designed around an academic framework that incorporates both international acting approaches, such as Meisner and Stanislavski's actor preparation, and our local traditions,' Saeed explained. 'We envision this institute as a nurturing home for every passionate artist,' Saeed said. 'Actors are the heart of our storytelling, bridging the gap between us, our scripts, and our aspirations.' Saeed highlighted the need to redefine the relationship between actors and their audiences, aiming to enhance both cinema and theater with authentic voices that resonate with today's society. 'Our institute aims to graduate a generation of actors who can express their unique stories and identities, contributing to a richer, more diverse artistic content in Saudi Arabia,' he said. This initiative promises to make Saudi cinema and theater more accessible and relatable, both locally and worldwide. As it embarks on this groundbreaking journey, the institute is setting the stage for a flourishing era of creativity and storytelling in the Kingdom.
CBC
12-03-2025
- CBC
N.S. woman ordered to pay $60K to former nurse for online defamation
The mother of a severely disabled Nova Scotia man has been ordered to pay a former nurse $60,000 in damages for defamatory online posts that a judge says were aimed at destroying the nurse's reputation. In the same ruling, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Denise Boudreau was highly critical of a government investigation and report that was the basis of the Facebook posts, calling it devoid of methodology or procedural fairness to the extent of being "entirely inconclusive." "The plaintiff is a nurse, she was defamed by the defendant and labelled an 'abuser' of a vulnerable person in her care," wrote Boudreau in her ruling, released earlier this month. "There is no evidence before me that the plaintiff mistreated MM or anyone else. The suggestion that she did was untrue and unfair. These events caused harm to the plaintiff's reputation and caused her a great deal of upset, suffering and anguish. The defendant, even today, refuses to apologize or even acknowledge that her actions were unfair and harmed the plaintiff." The ruling stems from a September 2016 incident and involves a patient at Emerald Hall at the Nova Scotia Hospital in Dartmouth, N.S. The court ruling also paints a grim picture of conditions at the hall at the time of the incident. Matthew Meisner is autistic and has a mood disorder and, according to court records, could be violent and unpredictable. On the evening of Sept. 2, 2016, he became disruptive. There was only one nurse working in the hall that night, with one other employee. There were 15 patients. At one point, Meisner flung feces at the nurse, hitting her in the head. With the help of the other employee and two security guards, Meisner was placed in a restraint chair, where he remained until the morning shift arrived at the hospital. According to Boudreau's decision, Meisner began spitting on people at that point so a hand towel was draped over the helmet that Meisner wore to protect him from self-harm. A write-up of the incident mistakenly identified the hand towel as a pillowcase, and a manager who spoke to Meisner's mother the day after the incident provided her with that incorrect information. Social media campaign against nurse Tracey Meisner repeated that claim in media interviews over the following days and weeks. "While the plaintiff knew this allegation was untrue, as a nurse she was forbidden from discussing the care of any patient with third parties," wrote Boudreau. "As a result, she was unable to publicly defend herself." Meisner also repeated the assertion that the nurse was overheard questioning whether Matthew Meisner's excrement was "retarded." The nurse testified that she actually questioned whether it was "infected," given that she'd been struck in the side of the head. She also denied she made the comment where the patient could hear her. In November, the plaintiff saw pictures of herself on Meisner's Facebook page, accompanied by captions naming her as an abuser and comparing her to a child molester. The posts were seen by "numerous people," according to the ruling, and the plaintiff was repeatedly contacted by media for a response to the allegations. She was "extremely upset," contacted police and took a stress-related leave from work. Boudreau wrote that it's understandable that Tracey Meisner was upset by what she had been told, even though it was incorrect. "None of this gave the defendant licence to unfairly and harshly single out the plaintiff, identify her in a public forum, and undertake a campaign to destroy her reputation," the judge wrote. "The defendant's Facebook postings were not, and could not, be described as 'fair comment'." Flawed investigation Nova Scotia Health won't comment on this specific case, citing patient confidentiality. But the authority says when it receives a complaint about possible patient abuse, it is obliged to report it to the Department of Health and Wellness, which assigned one of its own investigators. That investigator was Joanne Blight. Boudreau was highly critical of her work, which led to both a preliminary and final report into the incident. "The report provided minimal (or even a total absence of) 'fact-checking'; to be blunt, one wonders if some of the identified 'facts' were actually only rumours about the event," wrote the judge. "No source individuals or materials were identified in the report; it contained no identified methodology which could be assessed … in my view, the Blight Report is entirely inconclusive." Boudreau noted that despite testifying in defence of the report, Blight "had great difficulty justifying" it and became quite defensive. "Perhaps she herself recognized, while being questioned, that her 'report' was seriously lacking," wrote the judge. Tracey Meisner based her social media attacks on the nurse on the findings in Blight's report. 'Truly unfortunate' case Testifying at the trial, the nurse described the toll this took on her as people would point at her and whisper about her when she went out in public. She developed PTSD as a result. Boudreau noted that the Nova Scotia College of Nursing conducted its own investigation into the incident and exonerated her. No one from Nova Scotia Health was available for an interview about the case. However, in a statement to CBC News, a spokesperson said the organization had conducted its own extensive review of practices at Emerald Hall prior to the 2016 incident and changes were introduced in 2019. Now, only those who truly need it are admitted to the facility. If a client is not in an acute phase of their illness, the policy is to provide their care in the community. The number of beds has been reduced from 19 to nine and staffing levels have been increased. Emerald Hall is now known as the adult neurodevelopmental stabilization unit. Boudreau summarized the case as "truly unfortunate." "The events of September 3, 2016, at Emerald Hall were unpleasant and upsetting. Subsequently, the defendant was given incomplete and inaccurate information about the situation. Given what she was told, coupled with her other concerns, she was understandably upset," wrote the judge. "It is truly unfortunate that the defendant has refused to accept that her earlier assumptions or beliefs about the events of September 3 may have been based on inaccurate or incomplete information. Most unfortunate of all, the defendant seems entirely unable to understand or acknowledge that her actions have been the cause of harm to the plaintiff."
