19-year-old charged with murder and attempted rape after woman's body found in Jędrzejów bushes
A 19-year-old man from Jędrzejów county faces life imprisonment after prosecutors charged him with the murder and attempted rape of a 29-year-old woman, whose body was discovered in undergrowth on the night of 9 July.
Discovery of the body
Police in Jędrzejów, Świętokrzyskie province, received a call shortly before midnight on Thursday, 9 July, reporting a woman lying in bushes on wasteland. Officers dispatched to the scene found the 29-year-old showing no signs of life. Despite immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the woman could not be revived and was pronounced dead.
Initial police assessments indicated her death was not from natural causes. The district police commander declared a full unit alert, triggering a large-scale manhunt. The search drew in officers from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Kielce and the prevention unit, with reports of nearly 150 officers involved. Tracking dogs and drones were deployed to locate the suspect.
Night-time manhunt and arrest
The suspect, a 19-year-old resident of Jędrzejów county, was apprehended on Friday, 10 July, at approximately 3:00 a.m. within the town. He was taken for medical examination before being placed in a detention facility. Police, a prosecutor, and forensic technicians continued their work at the scene throughout the night.
Shortly after 3:00 a.m., a 19-year-old was detained in Jędrzejów who may have a connection with the death of the woman. After medical tests he was taken to a detention room.
Charges filed on Saturday
On Saturday, 11 July, the suspect appeared at the District Prosecutor's Office in Jędrzejów. Daniel Prokopowicz, spokesperson for the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Kielce, confirmed the completion of procedural activities. The prosecutor brought two charges against the teenager: one of attempted rape and a second of murder.
The activities with the suspect at the seat of the District Prosecutor's Office in Jędrzejów have been concluded. The prosecutor presented the detained 19-year-old with two charges. The first concerns attempted rape, the second the murder of the woman.
The suspect did not admit to the charges and exercised his right to refuse to give explanations. The prosecutor stated that, given the brutal nature of the crime, a request for pre-trial detention would be filed with the District Court in Jędrzejów that same day. If convicted, the 19-year-old faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
- Police receive call about a woman lying in bushes on wasteland in Jędrzejów
- Officers find 29-year-old unresponsive; CPR attempted but unsuccessful
- Full unit alert declared; reinforcements from Kielce and prevention unit join the manhunt
- 19-year-old suspect detained in Jędrzejów after a search involving nearly 150 officers, dogs, and drones
- Prosecutor charges suspect with murder and attempted rape; pre-trial detention requested
Investigation and community impact
The prosecutor's office has declined to release further details, citing the integrity of the ongoing investigation. Forensic technicians, police, and the prosecutor have been gathering evidence at the site where the body was found.
In view of the circumstances of this case, the prosecutor will today submit a request to the District Court in Jędrzejów for the temporary arrest of the suspect. Due to the good of the proceedings, this is all the information we can share at this moment.
Local reports note that this is the second such tragedy in Jędrzejów county in recent times, deepening the shock felt by the community and across Poland.
