16-year-old Kornelia was lured to her death by friends in Konstancin, Poland, in February 2020 after believing a birthday meeting was just a joke.
She Thought It Was Just a Prank
Patryk aimed an air rifle at Kornelia nervously, pulling the trigger. The gun misfired, emitting only smoke. Kornelia laughed; Patryk did not. “Could you defend yourself if someone attacked you from behind?” he asked. She had no answer.
She’ll Come Back
February 11, 2020, during winter break in Piaseczno. Kornelia prepared for Martyna’s birthday party. She left home around 7 PM, promising to return by 10 PM. Her parents woke the next morning to find her bed empty. Kornelia’s phone was off. Martyna claimed Kornelia came to her party but left suddenly, possibly to meet her ex-boyfriend Konrad. Konrad received a distressing message: “It’s over between us.”
Police Indifference
Routine officers dismissed the disappearance. A brief notice appeared the next day on the local precinct’s website, amplified by local media. Kornelia was last seen at 7 PM on Pawska Street, described as 160 cm tall, with long blonde hair, wearing black jeans, a hoodie, a bomber jacket, and white-soled sneakers. A public appeal asked for sightings.
Drugs From an App
Kornelia’s mother traced her phone logs, discovering she vanished from Konstancin, not Piaseczno. Police ignored her requests for search teams, asking, “Why is the lady snooping around?” Rumors circulated about Kornelia and Patryk dealing drugs. Konrad later admitted they faked drug deals on Snapchat using cat litter and pink salt, not actual narcotics.
I Thought It Was a Joke
Weeks passed. Martyna grew evasive. Kornelia’s mother sensed she wasn’t telling the truth. Police found Kornelia’s body partially buried near an irrigation ditch, clothed in distinctive items. DNA confirmed her identity. News of the murder reached the family informally before an official notification. An officer remarked, “She didn’t bury herself.”
Martyna Fears Her Father
The taxi driver who transported Kornelia revealed Patryk paid him 50 zloty to talk to her about “green and white” drugs. Patryk instructed him to claim Martyna waited alone in Konstancin to “protect her from her father.” During joint interrogations, Martyna and Patryk blamed each other. Martyna confessed they lured Kornelia under the pretense of air rifle target practice.
We Just Wanted to Scare Her
Martyna testified Patryk choked and shot Kornelia after the gun jammed. Patryk claimed Martyna pressured him, threatening to leave if he didn’t help eliminate Kornelia. Both admitted digging a grave beforehand. Kornelia’s ex-boyfriend, Konrad, received a breakup message via Messenger at 8:35 PM that night; Kornelia didn’t write it.
Good Day
After disposing of evidence, Martyna and Patryk visited a pharmacy ironically named “Dobry Dnia” (Good Day), buying antiseptics to treat Patryk’s scratches. They bought compresses, hydrogen peroxide, and an elastic bandage. Surveillance captured them around 9 PM. They later synchronized their alibi: claiming they parted ways after an argument.
A Role Model?
Martyna, 16 at the time of the murder, faced trial as an adult. A pre-trial detention center praised her as “a role model” and “compliant.” However, psychiatrists described her as dominant and profit-driven. Schoolmates recalled her boasting about Patryk’s “gangster” connections and her father’s prison job, which she claimed would shield her. She joked about Kornelia being “buried somewhere.”
Execution for Fun
The prosecutor argued the murder was an “execution,” driven by jealousy and a desire to eliminate perceived competition in drug trafficking. Martyna’s lawyer sought acquittal, portraying her as a child manipulated by Patryk. Patryk’s lawyer requested an 8-year sentence, the minimum. In June 2022, the judge sentenced Patryk to 25 years, rejecting claims of “love” as justification.
Salomonian Verdict
In 2025, the appellate court upheld the verdict, tightening Patryk’s parole conditions to 20 years. Martyna’s later apologies were dismissed as “opportunistic.” The court emphasized Kornelia’s lost future. Patryk’s family called it a tragedy “for several families,” while the Krassowska family countered it was *their* tragedy. Kornelia’s mother still hopes to spot her daughter’s blonde bomber jacket in crowds.
