The Public Prosecution Service has demanded a 12-year prison sentence against a 35-year-old man from Roosendaal for killing his stepfather. The crime took place on June 29, 2024. Five stab wounds proved fatal for the 57-year-old victim. He really had the intention to kill him, said the prosecutor.
Camera footage shows what happened on the early morning of June 29 in the Feithlaan in Roosendaal. The suspect is seen near the home of his mother and stepfather. As the latter leaves the house and gets into the drivers seat of his parked van at 5:19:40 AM, the suspect approaches the passenger side of the vehicle within 12 seconds.
The van then moves slightly, and after a few seconds, it comes to a stop again. Voices can be heard, but it is unclear who is saying what. The suspect moves to the drivers side of the van and then goes out of sight of the camera. At 5:20:45 AM, the suspect comes back into view and walks from the van towards his mothers house.
Inside, the suspect calls 112 to say that someone has been stabbed in his body and that the person is lying in his work van. When the dispatcher probes further, the suspect admits that he did it and will turn himself in. At 5:52 AM, the police arrive and make an unsuccessful attempt to resuscitate the victim. The suspect is immediately arrested.
No chance
Investigations show that the victim was severely attacked with a knife and had no chance to defend or evade the stabbings. He was hit in several vital areas.
With the suspects confession, the camera footage, the investigation of the victims van, the discovery of the knife, the traces found there, and the results of the pathological examination, the Public Prosecution Service is certain that the suspect is responsible for the death of the 57-year-old victim.
Although the suspect had enough time to think, the Public Prosecution Service argues that it cannot be said that there was premeditation. It is not excluded that the suspect only decided to stab after the victim refused to give the house key. There was a short time span between decision and execution, said the prosecutor. Therefore, the Public Prosecution Service does not consider it murder, but manslaughter.
Accumulated tensions
According to experts, the suspect has a mild intellectual disability, a disorder related to alcohol use, and a sleep disorder, but non-disorder-related factors played a significant role in the crime. The suspect had the choice not to seek out the victim that morning. But the suspect was increasingly overwhelmed by accumulated tensions and anger that he could hardly recognize, let alone articulate, said the prosecutor in his indictment.
He followed the experts advice by demanding not only the unconditional prison sentence of 12 years but also that the suspect be subjected to a behavior-influencing and freedom-restricting measure (GVM). This allows for monitoring of the suspect after the detention period.
The court will make its ruling on February 18.