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Woman Declared Dead in 1989 Found Alive Long After Man Confesses to Killing Her

Authorities presumed Petra Pazsitka was dead after a convicted killer confessed to her murder. That is, until she turned up alive and living under a false name.

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Petra Pazsitka disappeared from the city of Braunschweig, Germany in 1984. The then 24-year-old student was last seen heading out of the dentist’s office on July 26. She’d planned to take the bus to her parents’ home, but never arrived. Authorities implemented a manhunt that included an appeal on a German television show like “Unsolved Mysteries,” but no sign of Pazstika turned up.

German police developed a reason to believe that the suspect in the death of a 14-year-old girl near the bus stop where Pazsitka had gone might be connected to Pazsitka’s disappearance. That suspect, a 19-year-old named only as Günter K., was arrested in the death of the teenage girl. He confessed to her murder. Later, in 1987, he reportedly confessed to killing Pazsitka as well. Two years later, Petra Pazsitka was officially declared dead.

Another crime, 31 years later, would finally bring about the truth. In September, police were investigating a burglary in a Dusseldorf flat belonging to a 55-year-old woman going by “Mrs. Schneider”. However, when authorities requested “Mrs. Schneider’s” identification, she could not provide it. Eventually, “Mrs. Schneider” told authorities who she really was, and used an old ID card to prove it. Somehow, she had spent the last 31 years living in a few cities in Germany without a social security card, passport, or even a bank account. She reportedly paid all of her bills in cash, and made money via “under the table” means. Pazsitka never needed false papers to show anyone, so authorities said that they really cannot hold her criminally liable for the disappearance.

Pazsitka has reportedly chosen to stay mum on why she staged her disappearance, but has stated that she wants nothing to do with her family and has no desire to contact the public.

There is no word on what will become of Günter K.’s confession to the murder in light of the new details.

This article was first published on Crime Feed.

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Still courtesy of Crime Feed