A double murder in 1985 would lead to the first televised murder trial, as America became obsessed with Jens Soering and his girlfriend Elizabeth Haysom, who were charged with the murder of Haysom’s parents. But where is Jens Soering now? This article will take a look at some of the points raised about the case in recent years and answer the question.
The couple were found brutally stabbed, slashed, and nearly decapitated, and eventually, the suspicion would fall on Haysom and Soering.
Events would escalate, leading to their arrest, but the media and filmmakers would cover the story for decades, leading to some interesting new information being revealed.
The German documentary Killing for Love would make some very engaging arguments about the couple and the roles they played in the double murder.
Who is Jens Soering and what did he do?
Jens Soering would meet Elizabeth Haysom while they studied together at the University of Virginia.
Soering, born in Thailand, and the son of a German diplomat, would arrive in the US when his father would be sent there through his work. Upon meeting Elizabeth, they would soon bond, finding that they had a common interest — they both had issues with their parents.
Elizabeth would claim that she was constantly controlled by her parents, while Jens claimed his mother had a drinking problem and his father had anger issues. As their relationship grew, Jens would meet Elizabeth’s parents, but they would dislike the young man and would state they did not think Elizabeth should be with him.
On March 29, 1985, the couple would hire a car and spend a weekend in Washington. A few days later, the police would contact Elizabeth and reveal that her parents had been horrifically murdered.
The police would eventually look towards the couple, requesting fingerprints from them. Elizabeth would comply, but Jens would say no, citing he required clearance from the German Embassy before doing that. Before the issue could be pressed, the couple would flee the country, with a plan to make it to Thailand and apply for citizenship there.
Using false documents and disguises, the couple would make their way to Europe, eventually settling in London, but they would be arrested for shoplifting and using fake cheques, leading to them being returned to the US where they would be arrested for murder.
With the pressure on, Jens would admit that he had murdered the couple, however, later he would retract the statement, saying he made it to protect his girlfriend, whom he loved very much, fearing she would receive the death penalty.
Soering would receive a double life sentence, and Haysom would receive ninety years.
Where is Jens Soering now?
After thirty-three years in a US jail, Soering was released on probation by authorities in Virginia in the US. He would be returned to Germany, which is where he remains now, and he is never allowed to return to the US.
While imprisoned, he changed his religion from Buddhism to Catholicism and wrote several books and articles including Mortal Thoughts, described as, “the autobiography of a young man imprisoned for a double murder he did not commit.”
His book The Convict Christ would see him awarded first prize by the Catholic Press Association of North America.
Jens continues to assert that he was told of the murders by Elizabeth Haysom after the event had occurred, and he had nothing to do with the brutal killings.
Alleged irregularities in Jen Soering’s trial
Soering would claim that he did not murder the Haysoms and there were also many people who would champion this claim, including celebrities and former law enforcement agents who investigated the case finding some irregularities.
DNA would not match the crime scene, and the judge, William Sweeney, involved with the case was a personal friend of the Haysoms, a situation that would not normally occur.
The investigation seemed to neglect vital points, such as not searching for the hired car the couple had used at the time of the murders, which might have blood samples inside, and eyewitnesses involved in the case were not called to testify at the trial.
Perhaps the most damning claim comes in regard to a footprint found at the crime scene that was used to convict Jens, however, later on, it was revealed that the size of the print did not match Jens’, making this evidence redundant and raising the question of whether there someone else at the scene that committed the crime and is potentially still out there.
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