Beauty influencer Stefanie Pieper has been found dead nearly a week after she disappeared following her return from a holiday party.
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According to the Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung, the 31-year-old was found dead in a Slovenian forest. Investigators allege her ex-boyfriend, also 31, admitted to strangling her and led police to where he hid her body in a suitcase.
According to the Styrian State Police, Pieper, who had over 47,000 followers on Instagram, was last seen on Nov. 23 after returning home from a Christmas party. Although she reportedly got out of a taxi with a friend at her apartment, her family alerted authorities when she failed to appear at a scheduled photoshoot.
Authorities confirmed in a Nov. 26 statement that Pieper was missing after failing to show up for work and being unreachable. They also announced that her ex-boyfriend had been arrested in connection with her disappearance.
“The man is believed to have traveled to Slovenia several times in his car. He could not be contacted by the investigating police,” the police wrote. “On Monday evening, November 24, 2025, the Slovenian police reported that a car had caught fire in the parking lot of a casino near the border. This was the 31-year-old man’s car. He was found in the immediate vicinity of the burning vehicle and arrested by the Slovenian police. Extradition to Austria has been requested.”
Two Relatives of Stefanie Pieper’s Ex-Boyfriend Were Also Reportedly Arrested
Local reports suggest that Pieper messaged a friend on WhatsApp, saying she had arrived home safely. Shortly after, she sent another message, expressing concern that someone might be in her stairwell. According to Kleine Zeitung, neighbors reportedly heard arguing and claimed to have seen her ex-boyfriend.
The Styrian State Police later announced in an update that two relatives of Pieper’s ex-boyfriend had also been arrested.
“The detainees are in police custody and are being questioned,” the police wrote then. “Forensic examination of the ex-boyfriend’s car yielded no clues as to the missing woman’s whereabouts.”
“Investigations are being conducted in both Slovenia and Austria, and there is close cooperation between the two authorities,” the authorities added. “Search operations carried out in Slovenia have so far been unsuccessful; these will continue tomorrow.”