In October 2008, police arrested Piotr L. in Łódź for allegedly ordering the murder of 32‑year‑old Konrad P., who was said to threaten his 26‑year‑old daughter.
Case Background
Piotr L. was a Łódź businessman who employed hundreds of people. His only daughter, Aneta, was 26 and suffered chronic health problems. After meeting the 31‑year‑old Konrad P. in a 2006 hospital stay, Aneta fell in love with him.
The relationship turned hostile when Aneta discovered that Konrad had stolen money, damaged property, and visited her parents’ home, stealing clothing and electronics. In June 2007, Piotr confronted him and demanded he leave the house. Konrad allegedly vandalised Piotr’s car and admitted to the theft.
The Alleged Contract
In the same month, Piotr met his associate Eugeniusz W. and asked him to find someone who would “cut off” Konrad from his daughter. Initially a beat-up was envisaged, but the arrangement evolved into a murder plot, with a deadline set for August 2007. Piotr paid Eugeniusz W. 30 000 zł as a down‑payment.
Ugwiel, Eugeniusz, and a third accomplice, Tadeusz B., were to observe the target and coordinate the act. They allegedly watched Konrad at his mother’s apartment, waiting for the right moment.
Police Investigation
Konrad P. was shot on 30 November 2007 at the stairwell of the apartment building where his mother lived. Witnesses saw a bleeding man with his back to a wall; emergency services declared him dead at 19:25. Tadeusz B. later admitted that he had entered a vehicle, presented himself as a Central Bureau of Investigation officer, and fired two shots at Konrad – one to the back and one to the head.
In October 2008, authorities arrested Tadeusz B. and Ugwiel in Łódź, Eugeniusz W. in the village of Wodzierady, and Piotr L. at Warsaw’s Okęcie Airport, where he had flown from Mińsk. The prosecutor blamed him for ordering the murder and for encouraging others to commit the crime.
Trial and Sentencing
On 17 December 2012 the Łódź District Court sentenced Piotr L., Eugeniusz W., and Ugwiel to 15 years’ imprisonment; Tadeusz B. received 25 years. The sentences, counting the pre‑trial detention, meant earliest release dates of 2023 for Piotr and 2033 for Tadeusz.
Appeals and Final Verdict
In February 2015 the Łódź Appellate Court reduced Piotr’s sentence from 15 to 13 years, removing references to “special condemnation” of motive. The Supreme Court later overturned the portion concerning Piotr, stating he had not specifically incited murder but encouraged others to hire killers. The appellate court reaffirmed the 13‑year sentence in December 2016, concluding that Piotr had indeed induced Eugeniusz to act and that the chain of coercion led to Konrad’s death. Piotr ultimately served about eight years before release.
