Austrian beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper, who had been missing for a week, was found dead in a Slovenian forest on Friday. Authorities made the discovery after her former boyfriend allegedly confessed to killing her and guided investigators to the location where her body had been concealed.
Pieper Was Reported Missing After Friends Lost Contact
The 31-year-old influencer was reported missing by her relatives and friends when she failed to respond to messages and did not appear for a scheduled photoshoot. She was last seen by friends after attending a Christmas party.
According to local media, Pieper sent a WhatsApp message indicating she had reached home safely. This was followed by a troubling text in which she mentioned that someone was following her and standing in her building’s stairwell.
Neighbours later reported hearing an argument and claimed to have seen her ex-boyfriend in the building around the same time, as highlighted by People Magazine.
Ex-Boyfriend Allegedly Confesses and Leads Police to Body
Local newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported that Pieper’s former partner told investigators he strangled her before placing her body inside a suitcase and dumping it in a forest area.
He was detained after his car reportedly caught fire near a casino close to the Austrian border. Following his arrest, he allegedly confessed to the crime and directed police to the scene. Slovenian authorities have since extradited him to Austria for further investigation.
Two relatives of the suspect—his brother and stepfather—have also been arrested. The motive behind the killing remains under investigation.
