A talented beauty influencer sent a series of chilling messages to friends before vanishing after a festive night out, with police later discovering her body buried in a suitcase in a Slovenian forest.
The Final Hours
Stefanie Pieper, a 31-year-old make-up artist and singer with over 42,000 Instagram followers, had been enjoying a Christmas party with a friend on Saturday night, November 23. After returning to her flat in Graz, Austria, she sent the familiar "home safe" text that many women routinely send after nights out.
But concern grew when the glamorous influencer failed to appear for a scheduled photoshoot the following Monday. A worried photographer decided to check on her at her apartment, where he was greeted by her on-off boyfriend, Peter M, described locally as a part-time nightclub security guard and unsuccessful poker player.
Despite being allowed inside the flat, the photographer's concerns weren't eased, prompting him to contact police shortly afterwards.
Chilling Digital Trail
Officers investigating her disappearance made several key discoveries that painted a troubling picture of her final hours. They found her phone discarded in a bush near her home and spoke to neighbours who reported hearing "loud noises" coming from her flat on Sunday.
Most disturbingly, police accessed her final WhatsApp messages, which revealed she had been frightened by a "dark figure" and "creep in the stairwell" while taking her Golden Retriever, Marlow, for a walk in the early hours of Sunday morning.
In her last message to a friend, she expressed clear alarm about the mysterious individual lurking near her home before communication abruptly ceased.
International Manhunt and Tragic Discovery
The investigation quickly turned into an international operation after Peter M was arrested attempting to cross the border into neighbouring Slovenia. Austrian authorities launched a frantic search using drones and sniffer dogs, while also searching several properties belonging to the suspect's family, including his grandmother's garden.
Meanwhile, Stefanie's heartbroken mother, Csilla Legenstein - whose name was tattooed on her daughter's arm - issued a public appeal offering financial rewards for information.
Tragically, the week-long search ended when police discovered Stefanie's body buried in woods near Majsperk, Slovenia. Her remains had been stuffed into a suitcase, according to Austrian news outlet Kronen Zeitung.
During interrogation, Peter M eventually cracked and confessed to strangling the influencer following a noisy argument after she returned from the Christmas party. He then led officers to where he had hidden her body.
Witnesses reported seeing the suspect carrying a roll of fabric at the flat, while his red Volkswagen Golf was later found burned out in Šentilj, just south of Slovenia's border with Austria. Peter M couldn't explain why his vehicle was on fire when arrested.
Two other men - believed to be the suspect's brother and stepfather - were also arrested in connection with the crime, though forensic examination of the burned car yielded no clues about Stefanie's whereabouts.
A Life Cut Short
Stefanie's social media presence revealed a vibrant, creative woman dedicated to her craft. On her verified Instagram account, she described herself as a make-up artist and singer, sharing beauty tips with thousands of followers.
In one poignant video from 2023, pinned to the top of her profile, she emotionally sang along to Lewis Capaldi's Forget Me, with lyrics that now seem tragically prophetic: "I'd rather hear how much you regret me, and pray to God that you never met me."
Her final post on November 9 showed the influencer taking followers along to a pedicure appointment, while other photos depicted her posing with beloved dog Marlow, attending beauty awards, and visiting Paris.
Since the tragedy, her account has been flooded with tributes from devastated followers, with one writing: "My sincere condolences to the family, and everyone who was close to her," while another added: "Rest in peace beautiful angel."
Authorities confirmed close cooperation between Austrian and Slovenian investigators continues as they work to establish the full circumstances surrounding this domestic violence tragedy.
