Albany Man Arrested After TV Confession to Killing Parents

Lorenz Kraus, 53, was arrested after confessing in a roughly 30‑minute televised interview that he killed his elderly parents, 92‑year‑old Franz and 83‑year‑old Theresia Kraus, and buried their bodies in the backyard of their Albany home. Authorities uncovered two sets of human remains while executing a search warrant tied to an investigation into alleged Social Security fraud after it was discovered the couple had continued to receive benefits that Kraus was accused of collecting. In the interview Kraus described the deaths as “mercy killings,” saying he suffocated his father with his hands and later killed his mother with a rope and buried them days later. Kraus contacted the station with a written statement, agreed to the on‑camera interview, was arrested outside the studio moments after leaving, and has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and concealment of a human corpse. He has said he acted out of concern for his parents’ suffering and denied financially enriching himself, while defense lawyers and commentators have questioned the legal impact of a public confession. Local, state and federal investigators, including Social Security agents, continue to probe the case as it draws national attention.