A couple allegedly befriended a pregnant Ukrainian refugee and her mother before murdering the pair after the child was born so they could pass it off as their own. 

Ina O., 44, and Marco O., 43, are accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Margarita Razaz, 27, as well as her mother Maryna Stetsenko, 51, in the city of Hockenheim, in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, according to local media.

The couple’s motive for the double murder back in March had been a ‘long-unfulfilled wish to have a daughter’, Mannheim prosecutors said in a statement. Ina and Marco O. already have three sons.

Prosecutors say that the pair had been planning to kidnap Margarita’s newborn child Mia – who was only five weeks old when her mother was killed – and ‘pass her off as their own child.’

Colleagues who worked with Marco O. in a butcher’s shop said that he had been boasting about having a new baby that was ‘still in intensive care’ days before the killings. 

Ina O., 44, and Marco O., 43, are accused of killing Ukrainian refugee Margarita Razaz (pictured), 27, as well as her mother Maryna Stetsenko, 51, in the city of Hockenheim, in the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, according to local media

The couple’s motive for the double murder back in March had been a ‘long-unfulfilled wish to have a daughter’, Mannheim prosecutors said in a statement (pictured above is Margarita Razaz’ newborn daughter Mia)

The pair ‘had been planning to kidnap a newborn female infant and pass her off as their own child’, the prosecutors said (pictured: Ina O.)

Colleagues who worked with Marco O. (pictured) in a butcher’s shop said that he had been boasting about having a new baby that was ‘still in intensive care’ days before the killings

One of the couple’s neighbours also told tabloid Bild: ‘The couple has three sons, the husband told me in December that they were having a girl in January. He proudly showed me a pink baby hat for the child. 

‘I was surprised because his wife didn’t look pregnant at all. But I would never have expected such a crime.’

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To that end, office clerk Ina O., who reportedly has dual German and Russian citizenship, is said to have joined a group chat on the Telegram messaging app intended to organise support for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion.

Through the group, the couple came in contact with Margarita R. – nicknamed Rita -, who was seeking help with translation ahead of the birth of her child Mia in January this year.

During a shared meal with Rita and her mother Maryna at a restaurant in March, Ina and Marco O. are alleged to have slipped sedatives to the victims.

When the older woman became unwell, the couple offered to take her to the hospital and drive Rita and baby Mia home.

German national Marco O. took Maryna to a fishing lake, where he hit her ‘at least four times on the head with an unknown object’ before dumping her body in the water, prosecutors allege. 

The couple subsequently informed Rita that her mother had suffered a heart attack and was in hospital. 

German national Marco O. took Maryna Stetsenko (pictured) to a fishing lake, where he hit her ‘at least four times on the head with an unknown object’ before dumping her body in the water, prosecutors allege

Margarita, nicknamed Rita, (pictured) reportedly moved to the German town of Hockenheim in December 2023 after previously fleeing from her home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, due to the war

Ukrainian refugee Rita (pictured) had her daughter Mia in January this year

They picked her up and drove her and her infant daughter Mia to an area close to the Rhine river in Hockenheim, according to prosecutors.

Marco O. killed Rita, who was still dazed by the drugs, with ‘at least three’ blows to the head.

The couple then set fire to her body and drove home with Mia, where they were later arrested, prosecutors said.

It is not known who Mia’s father is, according to lawyer Thomas Franz, who is representing the newborn’s aunt hoping to adopt the little girl. 

Rita reportedly moved to the German town of Hockenheim in December 2023 after previously fleeing from her home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, due to the war. 

Ina and Marco O. are being held pending trial. They are accused of murder in two instances, one in conjunction with the abduction of a minor.