Jozef Slovák
Encyclopedia
Jozef Slovák is a Slovak serial killer
who murdered at least five women in Slovakia
and Czech Republic
from 1978 to 1991. He is notable for being of above average intelligence, for example, being the author and holder of several patents in electronics. He is a psychopath, currently serving a life sentence for four murders in Ilava
prison, Slovakia
.
Slovák remains one of the most significant participants in the controversial wide-ranging amnesty
of the newly elected President of Czechoslovakia
Václav Havel
. Because of this amnesty, Slovák served only 8 years in prison for the murder of a 21-year-old Yugoslavian woman, and after his release he managed to murder at least four other young women in less than year and a half before being caught again. Jozef Slovák remains one of only two people convicted of serial killing without any ties to organized crime in the modern history of Slovakia
(the other being Ondrej Rigo
).
, Slovakia
on April 7, 1951. Altogether, he was sentenced 8 times during his life.
Jozef Slovák met his first victim, Yugoslavian
woman Blažica P. on a train. On August 22, 1978, they went into the woods in Bratislava
, Železná studnička (today part of Bratislava Forest Park) and Slovák tried to have sex with her. As she refused and tried to fight back, he choked her to death. After the murder, he dragged her body deeper into the forest and covered it with branches. After burning some of Blažica P.'s clothing right there in the forest, he gave some of the things she had on her body to his girlfriend.
In 1982, Slovák was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his first murder
. He started to serve his sentence in Leopoldov Prison
but was released on probation
on March 10, 1990 because of a wide-ranging amnesty
by president of Czechoslovakia Václav Havel
. Almost two-thirds of Czechoslovak criminals at that time were released from prison practically at the same time. Many murderers, career criminals and dangerous people were released from prisons on probation
or parole
. Without the amnesty, Slovák would have been released in 1997. From 1990 to 1991 Slovák murdered at least 4 women, committing his second murder just four months after being released from prison.
He met his second victim, Monika Ondíková (16 or 18) from Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia
, in Prague
. On July 4, 1990 they left the capital together for Konopiště
, near Benešov
, about 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Prague. In the manor park, Jozef Slovák shot her 8 times from his gas gun
, using neuroparalytic gas. Then, he hit her in the head several times with a stick, killing her. He searched the body, finding and stealing US$2,400, 800 German mark
s, over 16,000 Austrian schilling
s, a ring and her makeup. Again, he dragged the body deeper into the nearby forest and covered it with branches. Slovák returned to her body a week later to put a railway ticket to České Budějovice
into her pocket, trying to confuse the police.
Two days after his last murder, Slovák was arrested in Bratislava
. Bruises were found on his body caused by Anna Královičová's defence. The police also found an illegally held firearm.
On August 20, 1993 he was sentenced to life imprisonment
by the City Court of Bratislava
for the murders of Monika Ondíková, Vladislava Maříková, Diana Lopuchovská and Anna Královičová.
In 1997, Slovák complained to Ilava
city representatives that he was unable to make any new inventions, mainly because of lack of tools and lack of a typewriter
.
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...
who murdered at least five women in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
from 1978 to 1991. He is notable for being of above average intelligence, for example, being the author and holder of several patents in electronics. He is a psychopath, currently serving a life sentence for four murders in Ilava
Ilava
Ilava is a town in the Trenčín Region, northwestern Slovakia.-Geography:It is located in the Ilava Basin near the Váh river at the foothills of Strážovské vrchy mountains, near the cities of Považská Bystrica and Trenčín...
prison, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
Slovák remains one of the most significant participants in the controversial wide-ranging amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
of the newly elected President of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
. Because of this amnesty, Slovák served only 8 years in prison for the murder of a 21-year-old Yugoslavian woman, and after his release he managed to murder at least four other young women in less than year and a half before being caught again. Jozef Slovák remains one of only two people convicted of serial killing without any ties to organized crime in the modern history of Slovakia
History of Slovakia
This article discusses the history of the territory of Slovakia.- Palaeolithic :Radiocarbon dating puts the oldest surviving archaeological artifacts from Slovakia - found near Nové Mesto nad Váhom - at 270,000 BCE, in the Early Paleolithic era...
(the other being Ondrej Rigo
Ondrej Rigo
Ondrej Rigo , is a Slovak serial killer and necrophile who targeted women in Bratislava, Munich and Amsterdam from 1990 to 1992. Currently serving a life sentence for 9 murders and 1 attempted murder in Leopoldov Prison in Slovakia, Rigo is a dissocial and schizoid psychopath while also being a...
).
Early life
Little is known about Slovák's early life. He was born in Plavecký ŠtvrtokPlavecký Štvrtok
Plavecký Štvrtok is a village and municipality in western Slovakia in Malacky District in the Bratislava region.-External links:*...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
on April 7, 1951. Altogether, he was sentenced 8 times during his life.
Murders
Jozef Slovák murdered probably five women, although some investigators believed there might be more victims. This is a list of victims that were proved by the Slovak courts.| Name | Age | Status | Date of Attack | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blažica P. | 21 | Killed | August 22, 1978 |  Železná studienka, BratislavaBratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
| Monika Ondíková | 18 or 16 | Killed | July 4, 1990 |  KonopišteKonopište Konopiště is a four-winged three storey château located in the Czech Republic, about southeast of Prague, outside the city of Benešov. It has become famous as the last residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir of the Austro-Hungarian throne, whose assassination in Sarajevo triggered... u Benešova Benešov Benešov is a town in the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic, about southeast of Prague. The Konopiště castle and the Czech national mountain Blaník are near the town.-History:... , Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
| Vladislava Maříková | 18 | Killed | late July 1990 | Kamzík hill Kamzík TV Tower The Kamzík TV Tower is a 200 metre tall television transmission tower in the Koliba area of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It sits 433 m AMSL on the Kamzík hill, part of the Little Carpathians, overlooking much of the city. The tower lies within the territory of the Bratislava Forest Park. It... , Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
| Diana Lopuchovská | 17 | Killed | June 26, 1991 | Záhorská Bystrica Záhorská Bystrica Záhorská Bystrica is a borough in northern Bratislava. It is a small borough with preserved peasants' houses and more recent modern villas and estates.... , Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
| Anna Královičová | 16 or 18 | Killed | July 16, 1991 | Železná studienka, Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia Slovakia The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... |
Jozef Slovák met his first victim, Yugoslavian
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
woman Blažica P. on a train. On August 22, 1978, they went into the woods in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Železná studnička (today part of Bratislava Forest Park) and Slovák tried to have sex with her. As she refused and tried to fight back, he choked her to death. After the murder, he dragged her body deeper into the forest and covered it with branches. After burning some of Blažica P.'s clothing right there in the forest, he gave some of the things she had on her body to his girlfriend.
In 1982, Slovák was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his first murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. He started to serve his sentence in Leopoldov Prison
Leopoldov Prison
Leopoldov Prison is a 17th century fortress built against Ottoman Turks, in the 19th century it was converted into a high-security prison in the town of Leopoldov, Slovakia...
but was released on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
on March 10, 1990 because of a wide-ranging amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
by president of Czechoslovakia Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
. Almost two-thirds of Czechoslovak criminals at that time were released from prison practically at the same time. Many murderers, career criminals and dangerous people were released from prisons on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
or parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
. Without the amnesty, Slovák would have been released in 1997. From 1990 to 1991 Slovák murdered at least 4 women, committing his second murder just four months after being released from prison.
He met his second victim, Monika Ondíková (16 or 18) from Moldava nad Bodvou, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. On July 4, 1990 they left the capital together for Konopiště
Konopište
Konopiště is a four-winged three storey château located in the Czech Republic, about southeast of Prague, outside the city of Benešov. It has become famous as the last residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir of the Austro-Hungarian throne, whose assassination in Sarajevo triggered...
, near Benešov
Benešov
Benešov is a town in the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic, about southeast of Prague. The Konopiště castle and the Czech national mountain Blaník are near the town.-History:...
, about 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Prague. In the manor park, Jozef Slovák shot her 8 times from his gas gun
Gas pistol
A gas pistol is a non-lethal weapon for self-defense. It is typically a close-to-exact replica or conversion of a real handgun made to be able to fire lachrymatory gas cartridges only. Effective range is up to 4,5 metres depending caliber...
, using neuroparalytic gas. Then, he hit her in the head several times with a stick, killing her. He searched the body, finding and stealing US$2,400, 800 German mark
German mark
The Deutsche Mark |mark]], abbreviated "DM") was the official currency of West Germany and Germany until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It is commonly called the "Deutschmark" in English but not in German. Germans often say "Mark" or "D-Mark"...
s, over 16,000 Austrian schilling
Austrian schilling
The schilling was the currency of Austria from 1924 to 1938 and from 1945 to 1999, and the circulating currency until 2002. The euro was introduced at a fixed parity of €1 = 13.7603 schilling to replace it...
s, a ring and her makeup. Again, he dragged the body deeper into the nearby forest and covered it with branches. Slovák returned to her body a week later to put a railway ticket to České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
into her pocket, trying to confuse the police.
Two days after his last murder, Slovák was arrested in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. Bruises were found on his body caused by Anna Královičová's defence. The police also found an illegally held firearm.
On August 20, 1993 he was sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
by the City Court of Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
for the murders of Monika Ondíková, Vladislava Maříková, Diana Lopuchovská and Anna Královičová.
In 1997, Slovák complained to Ilava
Ilava
Ilava is a town in the Trenčín Region, northwestern Slovakia.-Geography:It is located in the Ilava Basin near the Váh river at the foothills of Strážovské vrchy mountains, near the cities of Považská Bystrica and Trenčín...
city representatives that he was unable to make any new inventions, mainly because of lack of tools and lack of a typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
.
Personality and psychopathological profile
Jozef Slovák is of above average intelligence, however psychologists arranged by the court found him to be a psychopath. His personality shows traits of pathological aggressivness, short-temperedness and egocentrism. Psychologists have not found any kind of sexual deviancy in Slovák. He does not have a tendency towards alcohol consumption or consumption of other drugs either.Sources
- Interview with Jozef Slovák in Šarm magazine (in Slovak languageSlovak languageSlovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
) from 2008