Rex Resolution 67: Hetzjagd

Yes, I'm still struggling to get these written up! The backlog is growing......

A woman closes a supermarket, heading off to bank the day's takings. On the way, she is attacked halfway up the Strudlhofstiege by a man in a mask who attempts to snatch the money. Fighting back, she falls backwards down the stairs and when the man follows to take the money, she pulls off his mask and recognises the man, leaving the assailant little choice but to shoot her.

The mask is left behind at the scene and, for the moment, it's all that Brandtner has to work with.

Moritz Hollub has been recently released from prison for murder and is currently staying with his sister and driving her mad in the process with his messiness and laziness. Of course, he immediately becomes a suspect among the people living in the apartment block and the word 'murderer' is sprayed on his sister's front door. He's a prime suspect for the police too and it's not long before Brandtner and team arrive, with residents of the block urging him to arrest Moritz.

Of course, Brandtner is much more open-minded. When he and Boeck enter Moritz's flat, they find him preparing to commit suicide by electrocution, the idea of going back to jail abhorrent to him, particularly as he maintains his innocence over the earlier murder charge. While Brandtner distracts him, Rex, ever the hero, pulls the plug out of the wall, foiling Moritz's attempt. Brandtner promises to review the earlier case but has to take him away while they check out his alibi. The alibi holds.

Nagl, a fellow resident of the block is seen playing a loan shark, obviously in deep financial trouble. Unlike the other residents, he schmoozes up to Moritz's sister, pretending to be sympathetic to Moritz's cause. He has ulterior motives though which are to be revealed later. When the investigation turns in his direction, after a photo is found of him with the victim, Boeck is very surprised by the expensive stereo equipment found in Nagl's flat.

Under pressure, Nagl is forced to act to set up evidence against Moritz. He retrieves a beer bottle used by Moritz from the rubbish, semi-conceals the canister that held the supermarket takings in the laundry to be found by the janitor and then, when she finds it, hits her over the head with the bottle, complete with Moritz's prints. Nagl has told Moritz his sister is in the laundry looking for him, so Moritz heads down and finds the janitor unconscious. Immediately aware that he has been set up, he flees. Meanwhile Nagl has positioned his dear old granny from in the lobby while he plies her with chocolate bananas (yum!) and vanilla slices (yum!) so that she can witness Moritz running away.

Granny is very excited to be taken to police headquarters to provide a statement and seems rather taken with Kunz. It seems Moritz is implicated. Not only is there a witness but the fingerprints on the bottle belong to him also. Brandtner isn't convinced though and realises that a bottle could have been taken from the rubbish bin after checking with Moritz's sister.

Back at the apartment blocks, emotions run high and Nagl incites the residents to attack Moritz. When Moritz gets tired of being on the run in the cold and returns to grab some items to leave for Germany, the residents set upon him.

Brandtner's further investigation of Nagl has revealed his serious debt and he then realises Nagl is the most likely suspect, turning up, as ever, in the nick of time to prevent serious harm to Moritz and arrest Nagl for the murder.






Other players include Michael Dangl, not credited with IMDB for this episode. The rest should be vaguely familiar.











A veritable bonanza in Recycled Rexers with Ulrike Beimpold, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as Margarethe in 'Das Donaukrokodil' (2004), Simon Schwarz, here as Moritz Hollub, later in 'Happy Birthday' (2002) as Kurt Sedlacek, Vera Borek, here as Frau Swoboda, later in 'Der Tod kam zweimal' as Marie Puchner, Klaus Ofczarek, uncredited with IMDB here, but also appearingin in 'Das Maedchen und der Moerder' (2001) as Hubert Kolar and 'Wofuer Kinden leiden muessen' (2003) as Karl Dworschak, and, finally, Hilde Sochor, here uncredited with IMDB but also appearing in 'Stockis letzter Fall' (1996) as Johanna Reichel.