Albany Man Indicted For First Degree Murder

Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that the 53-year-old Albany man who allegedly killed his parents, buried them in the backyard of their 6 Crestwood Court home and siphoned money from their financial accounts for nearly eight years has been formally charged.

Lorenz Kraus was arraigned on a seven-count indictment in front of the Honorable William Little Monday that charges him with Murder in the First Degree, two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Concealment of a Human Corpse, Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, and Identity Theft in the First Degree.

The Indictment alleges that sometime between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2017, Kraus murdered his father, Franz Kraus (DOB: 03/21/1933), and mother, Theresia Kraus (DOB: 02/03/1942), and then buried their bodies in the backyard of their home.

The indictment also alleges that sometime between Aug. 30, 2017 and May 27 of this year, Kraus assumed the identity of his father and stole funds from the family's estate in excess of $50,000.

A search warrant was served at the Kraus home on Sept. 23 in relation to an investigation led by Albany Police, Albany County District Attorney's Office staff, New York State Police, and the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General. Cadaver dogs picked up on a scent, and a subsequent excavation in the backyard turned up the couple's bodies.

Kraus was arrested by Albany Police on Sept. 25 just minutes after giving a confession to a television reporter at WRGB studios in Schenectady.

Kraus pleaded not guilty on Monday and was remanded without bail to the custody of the Albany County Correctional Facility.

Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Blain-Lewis and Bureau Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit Matthew Peluso are prosecuting the case.

ALL DEFENDANTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE.