Man admits in TV interview to killing and burying his parents
Lorenz Kraus, a 53-year-old man who was arrested for murder after telling a television news anchor that he killed his parents, is arraigned before Judge Joshua Farrell on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Albany City Court in Albany, N.Y. (Will Waldron/The Albany Times Union via AP)
Albany, N.Y. — A shocking televised confession led to the arrest of a New York man accused of killing and burying his parents in their backyard eight years ago.
Lorenz Kraus, 53, admitted during a live interview on Thursday that he ended the lives of his parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, describing the deaths as “mercy killings” for two elderly and ailing people.
The revelation came just a day after investigators uncovered two bodies buried at the Kraus family home in Albany. Authorities say the couple had not been seen in years, yet Social Security benefits in their names continued to be collected.
During a half-hour sit-down with CBS6 news anchor Greg Floyd, Kraus hesitated at first but eventually acknowledged his role in the deaths. “I did my duty to my parents,” he said, adding that his decision was driven by concern for their suffering.
When Floyd asked if his parents understood they were “perishing at [his] hand,” Kraus calmly responded, “Yes. And it was so quick.”
Police arrested Kraus immediately after he left the television studio. He now faces two counts of murder. At a Friday court hearing, a public defender entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Kraus remained silent during the proceedings.
According to CBS6 News Director Stone Grissom, Kraus first reached out to media outlets with a two-page written statement and his phone number. When pressed by Grissom over the phone, Kraus admitted burying his parents in the yard but initially avoided admitting to the killings.
Grissom said Kraus agreed to come in for an interview within the hour. Out of caution, the news director frisked Kraus himself upon arrival and ensured a plainclothes officer was on site during the taping. Floyd, who had only minutes to prepare, said he had to react in real time to Kraus’ startling statements.
Albany County Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol, representing Kraus, suggested Friday that the circumstances surrounding the interview could raise legal questions about whether Kraus’ televised confession will be admissible in court.
Investigators say the discovery of the bodies was the result of a broader probe into Social Security fraud, alleging Kraus collected and used his parents’ benefits for years after their deaths.
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