A 31-year-old Christian woman met a bloody end for saying that she does not approve of gay marriage.
The unidentified woman was stabbed to death in cold blood by her 25-year-old flatmate who called himself an "anti-theist," someone opposed to any form of religious belief, the German news agency The Local reported.
The man, named only as Daniel E. under German privacy laws, was arrested and promptly sentenced to life in prison by a court in Freiburg, Germany on Monday.
The case appears unique since it's very rare that an "anti-theist" gets mentioned in the news. An anti-theist should not be confused with an atheist because the two are different.
According to the Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry (CARM), an atheist is someone who lacks belief, or who doesn't know if God exists, or who doubts that God exists, or who believes God does not exist.
On the other hand, an anti-theist is someone who not only believes that God does not exist, but also is against the idea of God's existence and is opposed to any kind of religion. Hence, all anti-theists are atheists, but not all atheists are anti-theists, CARM states.
According to The Local report, the court learned that the victim was an active member of her parish community and a committed Christian.
Ten days after the two moved into their new flat, Daniel E stormed into the victim's bedroom, and asked if she approved of same-sex marriage. When she replied that she is against such union, he immediately stabbed her, the prosecutors told the court.
The wounded woman tried to flee from her assailant but was stabbed again repeatedly in the back as she was about to climb down the stairs.
Realising that he just killed his flatmate, Daniel E tried to commit suicide but failed, the court learned.
Investigators found a computer in his room, which reportedly contained a "manifesto" declaring his hatred of all religions.
During the trial, an expert testified that Daniel E idolised fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter from the film "Silence of the Lambs."
Another expert testified that he had a personality disorder. However, this did not the stop the court from finding him criminally responsible for the murder. Daniel E was then sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
