New York man – who ran for president – confesses to killing his parents in TV interview

A shocking true crime case emerging from Albany, New York, drew significant national media attention when Lorenz Kraus confessed during a live television interview that he murdered his elderly parents and buried their remains in the backyard of their home.

During the approximately 30-minute interview, broadcast on Thursday, September 26, 2025, by the local CBS affiliate, Kraus, 53, provided chilling testimony to anchor Greg Floyd. Although initially hesitant to use the word “kill,” he eventually admitted his responsibility after persistent questioning.

Kraus described his actions as “mercy killings,” arguing that his parents were unwell and suffering. He conceded that his parents never asked him to end their lives, but he believed they “knew they were going downhill.”

In the interview, Kraus detailed the method: first, he killed his father, and after his mother rested her head on her deceased husband’s chest for a few hours, Kraus claimed he “finished her” by strangling her with a rope. He stated he waited two to three days before deciding to bury the bodies outside.

Kraus’ 2020 campaign for president

Adding a strange layer to the case, public records show that in 2020, Kraus appeared on the Democratic presidential primary ballot in New Hampshire. This campaign took place approximately three years after prosecutors now believe he murdered his parents in 2017.

While campaigning from his residence in Troy, New York, Kraus advocated for an extremely radical platform. He promoted the idea of “dissolving the presidency” and proposed dividing the United States into four distinct regions. Reports say he filled his political manifesto with conspiracy theories and antisemitic statements.

Despite his unconventional and offensive rhetoric, the Democratic Party included Kraus among the large field of more than 30 presidential candidates. Predictably, however, he garnered negligible support, and his brief foray into politics quickly went unnoticed.

Investigation and confession timeline

Kraus’s parents, Franz and Theresia Kraus, hadn’t appeared publicly since around 2017. Over the years, the continuation of their Social Security payments was suspicious and investigated. In May 2025, the Social Security Administration requested a welfare check, prompting police to search the Kraus home in Albany, though officers discovered nothing.

As police intensified their inquiry into potential financial fraud, Kraus became a primary person of interest. It was at this point that Kraus took the unusual step of voluntarily contacting the press. He sent a two-page written statement, complete with his phone number, to CBS6 and other local news organizations.

CBS6 News Director Stone Grissom called Kraus to verify his identity. During their conversation, Kraus reportedly admitted to Grissom that he had buried the bodies, though he invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked directly if he killed them.

Grissom agreed to publish the statement online if Kraus would appear for an interview. To the station’s surprise, Kraus showed up quickly. The station implemented security measures, including frisking Kraus and having plainclothes police present during the conversation.

Kraus’ arrest

Immediately after the interview concluded, as Kraus left the CBS6 building, Albany police arrested him in the station’s parking lot.

Authorities formally charged Kraus with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of concealment of a human corpse. His public defender entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment in Albany City Court, and he is currently being held without bail.

The legal defense team has already raised concerns about the televised confession, suggesting that Kraus’s statements may be inadmissible in court. Meanwhile, investigators and prosecutors continue forensic work to confirm the identity of the human remains discovered in the backyard, which are presumed to be those of Kraus’ parents.