Human remains found in Rhine at Stein AG, police suspect homicide

Discovery on the Rhine

Three men spotted a bag in the Rhine near Stein in the canton of Aargau on the morning of Sunday, 25 October 2026. They pulled it onto the bank and found a human leg inside. The Aargau cantonal police were informed shortly after 07:30 and sent officers to the site, where they launched a large-scale search. Using a boat and police divers, the search teams recovered further bags in the water that contained parts of a male body. Searchers continued through the day and found more bags over its course.

Police response and inquiry

The Aargau cantonal police said the circumstances point to a homicide, and the public prosecutor's office has opened a criminal investigation. The identity of the dead man has not been established. Investigators have not yet provided details about the crime scene, the exact time of the offence or any suspected perpetrators.

Autopsy and identity

The Institute of Forensic Medicine of Aargau is carrying out an autopsy to determine the circumstances of death and to identify the man. Police have not yet established who he was. A reader of Blick told the newspaper that the dead man was reportedly an asylum seeker from a nearby home. This claim is unverified, because police have not confirmed the identity. The cantonal police confirmed a police operation on Monday morning, 26 October 2026, but did not confirm any details about the victim.

Witnesses and open questions

Police are asking anyone who made suspicious observations on the Rhine bank at Stein or elsewhere to come forward. Tips are being taken by the criminal police through the channels listed in its public appeal. The sources do not yet say where the offence took place or when it happened. Investigators are still working on the identity of the man, the cause of death and the sequence of events.