A 35-year-old footballer has been arrested two weeks before his wedding on suspicion of fatally poisoning a teammate.
Marius W was arrested on Tuesday (1 September).
He is accused of secretly giving his teammate, Philipp L, poison during a TuS Rockenberg end-of-season trip to Dresden, Germany.
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The player, 30, began feeling unwell during the trip.
After returning home, he suddenly became seriously ill and his family called the emergency services.
He died in hospital the following day, on 16 June 2025, despite attempts to resuscitate him.
His cause of death was later established as septic multi-organ failure caused by poisoning, as reported by Need To Know.
At the time, people close to the deceased believed he might have suffered fish poisoning, as the team had eaten fish during the trip.
However, investigators subsequently came to suspect Marius W.
Senior public prosecutor Thomas Hauburger told local media: “We assume that this was an act of revenge.”
The two footballers had reportedly been arguing over a woman for some time, according to rumours circulating in Rockenberg.
The accused, who is now in pre-trial detention, has so far made no statement regarding the allegations.
After news of the arrest broke, TuS Rockenberg’s head of football, 42-year-old Manuel Barufe, told local media: “We are all surprised and shocked.
“Nobody expected this. We hope the police can fully clarify what happened.”
TuS Rockenberg paid tribute to Philipp following his death, describing him as “a friend, a fighter on the pitch and a man with a big heart”.
His family also remembered him as “the loud laughter, the quiet gestures and the big heart”.
Wetz had already married in a civil ceremony after the alleged crime, but a large wedding celebration was due to take place this month.
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