A 39-year-old Slovak citizen went on trial in the German town of Deggendorf on Thursday, charged with three counts of murder. Prosecutors accuse him of committing the killings in circumstances they describe as horrific. Judges in the German court system must now assess the evidence tied to each count separately. Murder under German law can carry a life sentence if the court finds the accused guilty. Proceedings of this kind usually stretch over several hearings before any verdict arrives. The case has drawn attention in both countries because of the nationality of the defendant. Deggendorf sits in Bavaria, where its regional court handles serious matters including homicide. Until the trial concludes, the full picture of what happened will emerge piece by piece.