Austrian beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper has been reported missing, sparking an international investigation after the 31-year-old sent chilling texts to a friend.
Pieper vanished after returning home from a Christmas party held on Saturday (November 22).
The makeup artist reportedly got out of a taxi with a friend after arriving at her apartment on Sunday morning (November 23). Family members alerted the police when she failed to attend a scheduled photoshoot.
Influencer Stefanie Pieper vanished without a trace after returning home from a Christmas party
Image credits: Stefanie Pieper/Facebook
Concerned about her absence, the photographer reportedly visited Pieper’s home in the city of Graz, where he was greeted by her 31-year-old Slovenian on-and-off boyfriend, identified as Peter M.
The Styrian State Police confirmed in a release that a 31-year-old woman was missing after not showing up for work and “could not be reached.”
Pieper told her friends she was leaving the Christmas party to take her Golden Retriever for a walk. She has not been seen since 7 am on Sunday.
Image credits: badgalfani
During the police investigation, the influencer’s phone was found in a bush near her apartment.
Pieper had reportedly sent a WhatsApp message to a friend saying she had arrived home safely after the party. Later, when she took her dog for a walk, she sent another message that revealed she was worried about the presence of a strange individual in her stairwell.
Pieper told her friends she was leaving the party to take her Golden Retriever for a walk
Image credits: badgalfani
According to Kleine Zeitung, neighbors saw Peter and heard arguing coming from Pieper’s apartment around the same time.
The missing woman’s dog was found inside her apartment. Friends and family said they were certain that she would never have left her Golden Retriever alone.
Image credits: badgalfani
The Styrian State Police confirmed that Pieper’s boyfriend was arrested on Monday in connection with her disappearance.
Peter was reportedly detained in neighboring Slovenia while trying to cross the border.
Police stated that his red Volkswagen Golf was found abandoned and burned out in the town of Šentilj, and he could not provide an explanation for why his car was on fire.
The 31-year-old had texted a friend about a strange individual in her stairwell
Image credits: badgalfani
“This was the 31-year-old man’s car. He was found in the immediate vicinity of the burning vehicle and arrested by the Slovenian police. Extradition to Austria has been requested.”
The suspect remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court for an extradition hearing on Wednesday.
He has been described as an amateur poker player who works as a part-time security guard.
Her mother, Csilla Legenstein, has offered a financial reward for any information that could help police find her daughter
Image credits: oesterreichfindeteuch
Two other men, reported to be Peter’s brother and stepfather, are also under investigation.
“The detainees are in police custody and are being questioned,” authorities stated in a release, adding that “forensic examination of the ex-boyfriend’s car yielded no clues as to the missing woman’s whereabouts.”
According to police reports, the men were uncooperative during questioning. Peter, considered the main suspect, is also remaining silent, Kurier reported.
According to the local outlet, Peter stated that when he opened the door to Pieper’s apartment during his initial contact with police, he was looking after the woman’s dog.
Image credits: Leonhard Niederwimmer/Unsplash
Police continued, “Investigations are being conducted in both Slovenia and Austria, and there is close cooperation between the two authorities. Search operations carried out in Slovenia have so far been unsuccessful; these will continue tomorrow.”
As part of the investigation, sniffer dogs were sent to Peter’s grandmother’s home to dig in her garden. Searches of Pieper’s apartment revealed no evidence that a crime had been committed there.
Pieper was described as being around 5ft 9in (1,75 m), with shoulder-length, dark blonde hair and a slim build. She has her mother’s name, Csilla, tattooed on her left forearm.
Her mother, Csilla Legenstein, has offered a financial reward for information about her daughter’s whereabouts.
Three people, including Pieper’s on-and-off boyfriend, have been arrested
Image credits: Armin Ademović/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
“My daughter has been missing since [Sunday] morning. Any helpful information will be financially rewarded. Please help me find my daughter,” she wrote on social media.
Authorities noted in a release that various media outlets and online platforms have reported that Pieper was found in Slovenia, but clarified that “the Styrian police cannot confirm this rumor.”
In a statement shared on Thursday, they announced that “numerous leads regarding the 31-year-old woman have been received” and that this information “must be processed successively.”
Some people expressed hope that Pieper will be found safe and sound
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