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The remains of a mother aged 34 and her 10-year-old daughter have been found inside freezers in an residence in western Austria.

The victims, a woman from Syria and her child, who had been missing for several months, were uncovered on the end of last week. The cooling units were placed behind a plasterboard wall in the apartment, located in the city of Innsbruck.

Two men, a 55-year-old Austrian and his 53-year-old brother, were detained in the month of June. The elder brother, a colleague of the female victim, told law enforcement last week that there had been an accident—but rejected homicide.

Speaking to the media previously, a representative for the legal authorities said the pair were being kept in custody on "serious suspicion of intentional killing".

Personal details of those concerned have not been released by police, in compliance with national regulations.

Their going missing was initially flagged by the cousin of the mother, who lives in Germany, on 25 July 2024.

Authorities said the 55-year-old suspect claimed at the time she had taken an extended trip with her daughter to see her family in the nation of Turkey.

The victim's bank card was then discovered to be utilized in foreign locations on multiple occasions.

But when police entered the mother's apartment, her cellphone was found.

Someone also stated hearing a loud noise in the apartment, and shouts of "mother" on the date the mother and child were believed to have vanished.

A broader police investigation was initiated, with authorities uncovering several texts sent from the victim's mobile—including a job termination message to her company and messages to the male colleague.

Authorities said a significant cash transfer was also sent to the suspect.

Katja Tersch stated to the press on that day that a storage facility had been secured before the vanishing and a cooling unit had been installed within.

The male siblings removed the freezer from the unit on the day the mother and daughter went missing, she said. And a seven days after, they purchased an additional appliance.

Officials say they believe this indicates the deaths were premeditated.

"How they died was not identifiable due to the advanced decay of the remains," the official stated.

Mayr—from the legal authorities—said the specific order of occurrences is yet to be determined, but the bodies were expertly concealed and went unnoticed during a prior examination.

Although the men were taken into custody in the summer, it was only on November 12 that the suspect admitted to an incident and to storing the victims. He disputes any murderous intent, authorities confirmed.

In a related development, his 53-year-old sibling acknowledged a cover-up but rejected involvement in a homicide.

The two suspects are presently in pre-trial detention in prisons in Innsbruck and Salzburg, situated at a distance.

Through a combined announcement, the nation's official for women's affairs and Justice Minister said the "alleged double murder... represents the sudden and brutal end of two individuals and uncovers a heartless setup".

"Female individuals are being killed due to the mere fact that they are women and girls," they went on to say.

"Femicides are a deeply rooted and widespread concern that we must fight resolutely."