Steirerkind (2018)

In their second case, Sandra Mohr and her superior, Sascha Bergmann, from the Graz State Criminal Police Office investigate in Schladming. Two days before the start of the Nightrace on Planai, Karl “Charly” Wintersperger, head coach of Austria’s men’s ski team, goes missing. Mohr and Bergmann are assigned to investigate his disappearance, with support from Völk, the local police station commander. Daniel, Sascha Bergmann’s son, accompanies his father from Graz to Schladming. There he meets up with his friend Andi, an environmental activist and the son of Stusnik, the head of the ski slopes. Sandra Mohr happens to meet the two of them and becomes friends with them; she and Daniel have a one-night stand. Later, Daniel and Andi are arrested by the police during an activist action. Mohr then learns that Daniel is her superior’s son and tells Bergmann what happened between her and Daniel. While holes are being drilled for slalom gates, Wintersperger’s body is accidentally found beneath the prepared slope. At first, it is unclear whether a crime has taken place. Robbery is ruled out because his wallet is still there, though his phone is missing. A video turns up showing Lukas Wintersperger at the spot where his father was later found. Lukas says he lost his hat there. Karl Wintersperger had made several enemies through his brusque manner and ambition, including his brother Franz, the innkeeper, who owed him money and would now inherit from Karl, giving him a motive. Relations were also strained between Wintersperger and his son Lukas, as well as his foster son Mario Walch; both were ambitious members of the ski team. The interim new head coach, Norbert Bachler, announces to the media that Lukas Wintersperger and Mario Walch will compete despite the death. Karl Wintersperger’s phone is later found. It contains a video of Elena, a nightclub dancer who is in a relationship with Lukas Wintersperger. Lukas Wintersperger is initially arrested on suspicion that jealousy was the motive. Lukas tells the police that his father wanted to kick him off the ski team because of his relationship with Elena, supposedly because his athletic performance had declined. They had argued over it, but he did not kill his father. The autopsy determines that the cause of death was suffocation. Blood belonging to a second person is found on the victim’s jacket, but the blood type does not match Lukas’s. Bergmann requests a list of the blood types of everyone who was at the Winterspergers’ inn on the night of the murder. Meanwhile, Mohr has their skis examined for trace evidence. Jakob, the young son of the innkeeper, becomes an important witness: he remembers seeing Norbert Bachler with Karl on the night Karl died. The blood type being sought and the ski residue also match Bachler’s. Bachler tries to flee, but the police arrest him, and he confesses. On the night of the murder, he had witnessed the argument between Lukas and Karl. He had actually wanted to help Karl afterward, since Karl was lying on the ground, but Karl had insulted him too. During the ensuing confrontation between Karl Wintersperger and Bachler, however, the situation escalated.