French court sentences man to 20 years for 2013 murder in Strasbourg

A court in Strasbourg has sentenced 42-year-old Ludovic Burger to 20 years in prison for the 2013 murder of an 18-year-old Bulgarian woman.

The court also imposed 15 years of socio-judicial supervision, including mandatory treatment, in addition to the prison sentence, BFM reports.

Investigators said the victim’s body was discovered in June 2013 inside a tent situated between garden plots and a motorway in Strasbourg. The woman had been tied up, and a belt was found around her neck. An autopsy concluded that she died from suffocation.

Burger was arrested more than a decade after the crime. Investigators were able to identify and locate him through his YouTube channel, where he posted videos focusing on the lives of homeless and marginalized individuals.

During the trial, Burger admitted that he had met the victim on the street and offered her paid sadomasochistic relations. He claimed the woman’s death resulted from a “game” involving alcohol and drug use. Prosecutors said he later fled the scene after taking the victim’s belongings.

The prosecution described the killing as “selfish, cowardly and cruel,” stressing what it said was the defendant’s complete lack of remorse. The court’s sentence matched the prosecution’s request in full.

The defence cited Burger’s difficult childhood and mental health issues. However, psychiatric experts described him as emotionally cold and lacking empathy.

By Vafa Guliyeva