Strong Circumstantial Evidence Seals Life Sentence for Ex-Police Officer

The Supreme Court has rejected a convicted former policeman’s latest appeal regarding the 2011 murder of his wife, Danuta K., who was doused in gasoline and set on fire in Grodzisk Wielkopolski.

The Crime and Investigation

On the night of March 18-19, 2011, in Grodzisk Wielkopolski, 45-year-old Danuta K. was doused in gasoline and set on fire while sleeping. Despite severe second and third-degree burns covering 79 percent of her body, she managed to call for help before passing away two days later in a specialized treatment center.

Investigators found no signs of forced entry. The primary suspect was her husband, Andrzej K., a retired police officer. The couple was in the process of a divorce, and the victim had long suffered from his psychological abuse.

Key Circumstantial Evidence

Although there was no direct evidence, circumstantial facts formed a logical chain. Surveillance footage captured a car matching the specific characteristics of Andrzej K.’s vehicle near the home. Furthermore, the light sensor outside the house had been tampered with days prior, and the suspect knew his wife would be home alone that night.

Andrzej K. failed a voluntary polygraph test. His brother testified that shortly before the incident, the former officer remarked that “there are no traces when a person dies in a fire.”

Judicial Rulings and Repeated Appeals

In February 2013, the Regional Court in Poznań sentenced Andrzej K. to life imprisonment for murder and the illegal possession of ammunition. The verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeal in May 2013.

Andrzej K. has repeatedly attempted to challenge the ruling, filing numerous motions for cassation and retrial between 2013 and 2024. In his most recent effort, he alleged misconduct within the judiciary, but the Supreme Court dismissed the application on July 3, citing a total lack of merit and new evidence.