New York Man Arrested After TV Confession of Parental Murder

A man was arrested after confessing during a television interview to the murder of his parents, whose bodies were discovered in the backyard of their home in Albany, New York. Lorenz Kraus, aged 53, admitted to killing his parents, Franz (92) and Theresia Kraus (83), eight years prior, while he was being interviewed by CBS6 on March 14, 2024. The shocking confession came shortly after police recovered the remains as part of a broader investigation into suspicious Social Security payments that had been continuing for years despite the couple’s disappearance.

Kraus initiated contact with CBS6, and during the half-hour interview, he framed the killings as “mercy killings,” claiming he acted out of concern for his parents’ declining health. He explained that they were both frail, with his mother having suffered injuries from a fall and his father unable to drive after cataract surgery. When asked directly by news anchor Greg Floyd if he had killed them, Kraus initially hesitated but eventually confessed to suffocating them both, stating, “I did my duty to my parents.”

Following his confession, Kraus was arrested as he exited the studio. He faces two counts of murder, and a public defender entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during a brief court appearance the following day. Kraus remained silent during the hearing, which raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his interview.

The news director of CBS6, Stone Grissom, revealed that the interview was arranged after Kraus sent a two-page statement to various news outlets, prompting a call from the station. Kraus had expressed a desire to share his story, but when questioned about the murders, he initially invoked his right to remain silent.

Floyd, who had only ten minutes to prepare for the interview, stated, “I was thinking that I was on a mission to find the truth of what happened.” He emphasized that the unique nature of the interview was unprecedented in his 45-year career. Kraus’s insistence on not detailing the circumstances of his parents’ deaths added a layer of tension, but Floyd pressed on, leading to Kraus’s eventual admission.

The discovery of the bodies occurred after police began investigating the financial irregularities surrounding the Kraus family. Authorities found that Lorenz had been collecting his parents’ Social Security benefits, utilizing the funds for personal expenses. Neighbors were shocked by the revelation, as they had believed the couple had moved back to Germany years earlier.

Floyd reflected on the emotional weight of the story, acknowledging the history of the Kraus couple as survivors of World War II in Germany. He expressed concern over whether justice would be served for them, given the circumstances of their deaths.

The case has raised critical legal questions, particularly regarding the role of media in the investigation. Albany County Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol indicated that she would investigate the implications of Kraus’s televised confession, suggesting that if the media acted as an agent of law enforcement, it could affect the admissibility of his statements in court.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the community grapples with the chilling details of this case, which has revealed a tragic narrative of familial obligation intertwined with criminal actions.