Josef Fritzl

Josef Fritzl is the father of Elisabeth Fritzl, who, in 1984, he locked in a room in his basement. He kept her prisoner there and over the course of the next 24 years raped her repeatedly, impregnating her at least seven times. Three of the children that resulted from these pregnancies continued to live in the basement dungeon, while three others were brought to the surface and adopted by Fritzl and his wife.

On April 28, 2008, Fritzl confessed to imprisoning his daughter in the windowless basement cell. Fritzl's lawyer, Rudolf Mayer, argues that Fritzl should not go to jail as he is mentally ill. Fritzl faces possible charges of negligence and murder.

He was previously convicted of rape in 1967

Fast Facts

1. Job: Electrical engineer
2. Wife: Rosemarie
3. Children by Rosemarie: Seven, including Elisabeth
4. Children by Elisabeth: Seven, six surviving
5. 1996: Allegedly burnt corpse of Elisabeth's dead child
6. 1993, 1994, 1997: Brought 3 children by Elisabeth to live with himself and Rosemarie
7. Convicted of rape in 1967

The Cover-Up

Soon after Elisabeth Fritzl disappeared, a letter supposedly written by her emerged. In the letter, she asked her parents not to search for her and said she was joining a religious cult.

Josef built a set of rooms in the basement hidden behind a bookcase. Over the 24-year period, he brought three of the children to the surface, with notes he forced Elisabeth to write saying she could no longer take care of them within the religious cult.

Josef's wife, Rosemarie, raised them as her own children, and claims she never knew her own daughter was in the basement.

The Discovery

Elisabeth's 19 year old daughter was brought to the hospital suffering from renal failure. Elisabeth had hidden a note on her daughter, asking for help. Police appealed on television for her mother to step forward. Elisabeth convinced her father to take her to the hospital, and police picked them up as they were on their way. When the police arrested him, Josef told the police how to access the secret prison cellar.

Martina Posch

On April 30, 2008, Police announced they are looking into whether Josef Fritzl, was involved in the murder of Martina Posch in 1986. Posch had no familial link to Fritzl but Fritzl's wife owned a guest house near the place the body was found. Austrian police noted that Posch bore a resemblance to his daughter Elisabeth.

Two other women have also come forward saying Frutzl had raped or attempted to rape them.

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