András Pándy
Encyclopedia
András Pándy is a convicted Belgian serial killer
of Hungarian origin. He is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his two wives and four children, after he was arrested when his daughter, Ágnes, with whom he had a long-standing incestuous relationship, confessed to being involved in at least five of the murders. It is probably not correct to call him a serial killer
as all his victims were in a domestic relationship with him - and there is no evidence of sexual sadism, murder of unknown strangers, any fetishism
, paraphilia
or ritualism linked with the crimes - all aspects necessary to the designation. A former clergyman, he was dubbed "Father Bluebeard
" by some of the Belgian press.
to Belgium
. A year later, daughter Ágnes was born; sons Dániel and Zoltán were born in 1961 and 1966, respectively. A year later, the couple divorce
d when Pándy accused Ilona of infidelity. She moved away from the house, taking her sons, but leaving her daughter behind, who soon became the victim of an incest
uous relationship with her father.
In 1984, Pándy began his second incestuous relationship with his stepdaughter, Tímea. Ágnes, in a fit of jealousy, tried to bludgeon Tímea to death like the others, but was startled - and stopped. Tímea fled the house, and later emigrated
to Canada
.
. In 1988, his ex-wife Ilona and her sons disappeared - Pándy first claimed they moved to France
, later claimed South America
. Finally in 1990, after sending Ágnes to a vacation with his children, Tünde disappeared - Pándy later claimed that he threw her out of the house.
presented by her was, in two cases, murder by a handgun, and head trauma caused by a heavy blunt object. The corpses were then dismembered, partly dissolved in acid
in the basement, and partly taken to a local abattoir.
. The case got worldwide media coverage, especially after Pándy's deadpan
reaction to his surroundings. Pándy was sentenced to life in prison. When Pándy turned 80, prison authorities began looking to put him in a retirement
home.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
of Hungarian origin. He is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his two wives and four children, after he was arrested when his daughter, Ágnes, with whom he had a long-standing incestuous relationship, confessed to being involved in at least five of the murders. It is probably not correct to call him a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
as all his victims were in a domestic relationship with him - and there is no evidence of sexual sadism, murder of unknown strangers, any fetishism
Fetishism
A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a man-made object that has power over others...
, paraphilia
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
or ritualism linked with the crimes - all aspects necessary to the designation. A former clergyman, he was dubbed "Father Bluebeard
Bluebeard
"Bluebeard" is a French literary folktale written by Charles Perrault and is one of eight tales by the author first published by Barbin in Paris in January 1697 in Histoires ou Contes du temps passé. The tale tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the...
" by some of the Belgian press.
First Marriage & Incest
Pándy met his first wife, Ilona Sőrés, in 1957. In the wake of the communist era, they fled from HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. A year later, daughter Ágnes was born; sons Dániel and Zoltán were born in 1961 and 1966, respectively. A year later, the couple divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d when Pándy accused Ilona of infidelity. She moved away from the house, taking her sons, but leaving her daughter behind, who soon became the victim of an incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous relationship with her father.
Second Marriage & Attempt at Incest
At the beginning of the 1970s, Pándy began courting other women through dating services, often giving them a false name and job description, using the motto "European Honeymoon" in the ads. By the end of the decade, he visited Hungary again, meeting his future second wife, Edit Fintor, a married woman with three children, Tünde, Tímea and Andrea. He seduced the woman, who, according to her then-husband, was effectively eloped by Pándy to Belgium.In 1984, Pándy began his second incestuous relationship with his stepdaughter, Tímea. Ágnes, in a fit of jealousy, tried to bludgeon Tímea to death like the others, but was startled - and stopped. Tímea fled the house, and later emigrated
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Disappearances
Disappearances began in 1986: first, wife Edit, then her 13-year-old daughter Andrea - Pándy claimed to Edit's lover they moved to GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 1988, his ex-wife Ilona and her sons disappeared - Pándy first claimed they moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, later claimed South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Finally in 1990, after sending Ágnes to a vacation with his children, Tünde disappeared - Pándy later claimed that he threw her out of the house.
Ágnes's confession
Ágnes bottomed out in November 1997: after reporting her father in 1992 for sexual abuse, she turned herself in to the police, confessing the murders of the disappeared relatives. According to her, she was solely responsible for the murder of her mother Ilona, and took part in the murder of Dániel, Zoltán and Andrea. (She refused to mention Tünde's case.) The modus operandiModus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
presented by her was, in two cases, murder by a handgun, and head trauma caused by a heavy blunt object. The corpses were then dismembered, partly dissolved in acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
in the basement, and partly taken to a local abattoir.
Arrest, trial and conviction
Pándy was arrested October 16, 1997 - a date coinciding with a demonstration for the victims of another Belgian serial killer, Marc DutrouxMarc Dutroux
Marc Dutroux is a Belgian serial killer and child molester, convicted of having kidnapped, tortured and sexually abused six girls during 1995 and 1996, ranging in age from 8 to 19, four of whom he murdered. He was also convicted of having killed a suspected former accomplice, Bernard Weinstein,...
. The case got worldwide media coverage, especially after Pándy's deadpan
Deadpan
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
reaction to his surroundings. Pándy was sentenced to life in prison. When Pándy turned 80, prison authorities began looking to put him in a retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
home.