A British-German man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife, who he claimed had fallen over a hotel balcony railing during sex.Christian M was jailed in late July for the murder of his wife, Marta, 40, with Bild reporting that prosecutors believe he wanted to 'dispose' of her so he could start a new life with his mistress.After Marta's death on May 18, 2023, the 60-year-old Brit claimed she had fallen over a balcony railing during sex. However, investigators said the evidence at the Leonardo Royal hotel did not support his account.The investigation continued for almost two years, during which Christian M. was already living with his mistress near Frankfurt.Investigators eventually gathered enough evidence to charge the man, and in spring of 2025, he was arrested. On April 1, 2026, a 20-day trial began at the regional court, during which possible sex scenes were reenacted on the balcony on the 22nd floor of the hotel as evidence.According to the court, the man's mistress had pressured him to leave Marta, prompting him to research discreet methods of killing online before deciding to throw his wife from the balcony and make her death look accidental. Christian M. was jailed in late July for the murder of his wife, Marta On April 1, 2026, a 20-day trial began at the regional court, during which possible sex scenes were reenacted on the balcony on the 22nd floor of the hotel as evidenceChristian M's Google searches revealed that he had researched poisonous herbs, weapons that can be legally purchased, and the effects of sedatives. He reportedly ordered ten millilitres of a sedative via Etsy. He also carried out research into the topic of inheritance law, according to local media reports. And on the day before the crime, he searched for tall mountains with deep precipices in Hesse and Bavaria – as well as for hotels with balconies.The court found that Christian M. had booked a room in the hotel the day before the murder while telling his wife - who knew about his affair - that he wanted to reconcile.He reportedly asked for a room on one of the upper floors. The prosecution suspected that this idea came from an episode from the series 'CSI: Vegas', in which a woman pushes a man off a balcony during intercourse. The judge stated that Christian M. had previously come across information online suggesting that, in the event of a fall from a great height, it would not be possible to prove that it wasn't an accident.The couple spent Father's Day together in Frankfurt before returning to the hotel that evening, where CCTV footage showed the woman visibly shaken by alcohol.'We didn't perceive her as wanting dirty sex, but rather as needing to sleep,' said the judge.After spending 13 minutes back in their room, guests reported hearing a loud scream followed by cries of 'No, no!' Marta's body was later found partially naked on the ground 200ft below wearing only a bra, with injuries to her elbows that had occurred before her death. The Royal Leonardo Hotel in Frankfurt where the murder occurredUltimately, the judge said there was no doubt Christian M. had murdered his wife. 'Your behavior is morally reprehensible,' the presiding judge told the 60-year-old, saying he had 'disposed of' his wife by throwing her over the balcony 'like a garbage bag.''It would have been the perfect crime if the authorities hadn't investigated so meticulously,' he added. His wife's family members were present in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered, including her parents, who acted as joint plaintiffs in the trial. Christian M. has been ordered to pay them and his children a total of 35,000 euros in compensation for the loss of a loved one.