A 51-year-old man allegedly killed an acquaintance with a hammer on September 3, 2023, in Den Bosch. The victims 58-year-old partner is also said to be complicit in his death. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded today prison sentences of 15 years and 40 months against the two.
On Sunday, September 3, 2023, the police received a report from a man who wanted to turn himself in because he claimed to have killed someone. Upon arrival, the man immediately states that he struck the victims head, who was temporarily residing in the home, with a hammer. The victims partner, a 58-year-old woman, was also present at the time. The victim was found severely beaten in bed; he was already deceased.
Statements
Police investigations, which included forensic research, witness statements, and phone calls, also indicate that the man killed the victim with a hammer. However, the statements about the incident vary. Initially, both the man and woman claimed that the victim had attacked them. Later, the woman stated that the victim was lying in bed, that the male suspect suggested killing him, and that she subsequently gave her consent.
Complicity
In the requisition, the prosecutor paid considerable attention to whether the woman is complicit in her partners death. According to the OM, the facts suggest that the woman was not only negligent but also involved in the death by giving consent. The prosecutor stated: Her role is more comparable to that of an accomplice who stands watch, thereby creating the circumstance that the perpetrator can act undisturbed, rather than with the bystander who does not intervene for someone being attacked. The suspect was not on the lookout but did enable the perpetrator to commit a violent crime undisturbed in her home.
Demand
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) accuses both suspects of killing the victim in a gruesome manner, while he was defenseless in bed and posed no threat whatsoever. The OM concludes from the investigation that both the man and woman are of diminished responsibility. In this case, the OM demands a prison sentence of 15 years for the man and TBS with compulsory treatment. For the woman, the OM demands a prison sentence of 40 months. The judge will announce a verdict in two weeks.