Matej Curko was a cannibal who killed at least two women and died in a gunfight with the police on 10 May, 2011.
The offer was mutually advantageous. If you wanted to die, just go to the woods in Slovakia and he would happily kill you and eat you.
The offer was mutually advantageous. If you wanted to die, just go to the woods in Slovakia and he would happily kill you and eat you.
'Kanibm'
Matej Curko. By all outward appearances, Matej Curko was a family man, quite ordinary and not at all spectacular. He lived with his wife and two children in Sokol, Slovakia. That is until he was arrested for killing and eating people he met over the internet.
In 2011 a Swiss man, who suffered from depression, and wanted to end his own life, but was scared about the method, saw an advertisement in the paper. This advertisement, from someone named Kanibm, basically said that if you were wanting to end your life, all you had to do was travel to a specific part of the forest in Slovakia. Kanibm would meet you there, and you would be killed painlessly, being drugged before being stabbed through the heart. As for your remains? Have no fear... your body would be eaten, so your remains would not be found.
After several email exchanges with the person offering to kill him, the Swiss man agreed to meet with his fate. He was given specific instructions on what to wear, as well as a date, time and place. In the emails they exchanged, Curko described in great detail how he was going to cut the Swiss man’s body into different parts and eat them. He even went so far as to say that he would coat the parts of the body that he wouldn’t eat straight away with pepper, so as to hide the stench of rotting flesh that would attract the wildlife and passersby.
In 2011 a Swiss man, who suffered from depression, and wanted to end his own life, but was scared about the method, saw an advertisement in the paper. This advertisement, from someone named Kanibm, basically said that if you were wanting to end your life, all you had to do was travel to a specific part of the forest in Slovakia. Kanibm would meet you there, and you would be killed painlessly, being drugged before being stabbed through the heart. As for your remains? Have no fear... your body would be eaten, so your remains would not be found.
After several email exchanges with the person offering to kill him, the Swiss man agreed to meet with his fate. He was given specific instructions on what to wear, as well as a date, time and place. In the emails they exchanged, Curko described in great detail how he was going to cut the Swiss man’s body into different parts and eat them. He even went so far as to say that he would coat the parts of the body that he wouldn’t eat straight away with pepper, so as to hide the stench of rotting flesh that would attract the wildlife and passersby.
Part of Curko's 'kit'. For some reason the Swiss man had second thoughts, and decided he couldn’t go through with this macabre suicide/murder/banquet. He contacted the police and told them everything. It turns out that Curko was already being watched by the police, so this evidence was all that they needed to try and nab him. They prepared an undercover agent to assume the role of the Swiss man. SWAT police were hiding all around the area, and the undercover officer was wired, so the police would know when to strike.
The undercover agent made his way to the woods, but something the police had not bargained on was that Curko had made provisions for just this scenario, and had an arsenal of weapons with him. When the police officer revealed himself, and attempted to arrest Curko, the murderer drew one of the four firearms he had with him and threatened to shoot the officer.
At this point one of the snipers hidden in the trees opened fire, shooting Curko several times. Before Curko collapsed, he managed to fire off a few shots himself, wounding an officer hiding nearby. The officer spent several days in the intensive care unit of hospital, but was eventually released.
Matej Curko, though, was not so lucky. He took five bullets which caused extensive damage to his internal organs and shattered the bones in his arms and his face. He did not die immediately, passing away 48 hours after being shot.
The undercover agent made his way to the woods, but something the police had not bargained on was that Curko had made provisions for just this scenario, and had an arsenal of weapons with him. When the police officer revealed himself, and attempted to arrest Curko, the murderer drew one of the four firearms he had with him and threatened to shoot the officer.
At this point one of the snipers hidden in the trees opened fire, shooting Curko several times. Before Curko collapsed, he managed to fire off a few shots himself, wounding an officer hiding nearby. The officer spent several days in the intensive care unit of hospital, but was eventually released.
Matej Curko, though, was not so lucky. He took five bullets which caused extensive damage to his internal organs and shattered the bones in his arms and his face. He did not die immediately, passing away 48 hours after being shot.
More of Curko's kit. It was after he passed away that the jigsaw puzzle of events all came to light. A knapsack was found in the area where he was to meet his intended victim. It was packed full of sedatives, vodka, spices (presumably to hide the rotting flesh smell), a gas lighter, gloves and other camping items.
Not far away the investigators also found a candle and makeshift altar. Not being able to ask Curko, the use of this altar is unknown, and speculation remains about Curko’s spiritual practices. The most macabre finding was the discovery of the remains of two women, not too far from where all of the above had taken place. Both women were dismembered, wrapped in plastic foil, and buried in a shallow grave.
DNA testing revealed that one of the women was a 20 year old Slovenian woman who had been missing for over a year. She had attempted suicide in the past, and was a very troubled young lady. Her Facebook posts made it clear that she had wanted to die. Messages between herself and Curko saw him telling her that he would not rape her. He had no interest in her that way.
Although Curko is officially documented as killing two women, information via Interpol has established conclusive links between him and as many as 30 women, missing from Italy alone. All women were aged between 25 and 28 and disappeared between 2009 and 2011 – however none of their bodies have ever been found.
Not far away the investigators also found a candle and makeshift altar. Not being able to ask Curko, the use of this altar is unknown, and speculation remains about Curko’s spiritual practices. The most macabre finding was the discovery of the remains of two women, not too far from where all of the above had taken place. Both women were dismembered, wrapped in plastic foil, and buried in a shallow grave.
DNA testing revealed that one of the women was a 20 year old Slovenian woman who had been missing for over a year. She had attempted suicide in the past, and was a very troubled young lady. Her Facebook posts made it clear that she had wanted to die. Messages between herself and Curko saw him telling her that he would not rape her. He had no interest in her that way.
Although Curko is officially documented as killing two women, information via Interpol has established conclusive links between him and as many as 30 women, missing from Italy alone. All women were aged between 25 and 28 and disappeared between 2009 and 2011 – however none of their bodies have ever been found.
By Peet Banks 2014
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