Charging Documents Reveal Strange Behavior by Muth

The charging documents for Albrecht Muth paint a story of strange behavior and contradicting statements as police investigated the homicide of his late wife, Viola Drath.

After his wife's remains were removed from his home, Muth presented a letter to the family stating that he should be paid $150,000 if something were to happen to her. The letter was dated Aug. 11, the day prior to the day on which she was found dead.

The defendant said the signature belonged to Drath, however an unnamed witness in the court documents, who was familiar with Drath's signature, said the writing was not Drath's. Muth also allegedly asked to continue receiving his monthly allowance of $2,000.

Muth — the documents say an alias is "Count Albi" — told police that he received a monthly allowance of $2,000 from Drath, which she had recently decreased it to $1,800. He openly called their marriage one of "convenience."

Muth spoke with police about the timing surrounding his wife's death during an interview with Metropolitan Police. He found his wife on the floor of the bathroom around 8 a.m., he said, but he did not touch her and did not attempt to perform CPR, stating "there was no need for CPR."

Later when police told Muth they had DNA "touch evidence" related to the homicide linking the defendant to the decedent's murder, Muth told police that he kissed her the night before and might have touched her hand when he found her. When asked about the discrepancy between his statements, Muth had no response, according to court documents.

Muth also had scratches on either side of his forehead, that he said he received by running into a door, but the affiant in court documents suggests the scratches are more consistent with scratches made by another person, not a door.

When asked by detectives if perhaps Drath's death had been an accident, Muth stated, "It wasn't an accident."

According to court documents, when detectives left Muth in the interview room, the defendant repeatedly said to himself, "she has ruled it a murder."

The documents also say a next-door neighbor heard a faint cry between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Friday followed by a "sinister" laugh.

Muth will be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.