Public Prosecution Service demands 16 years imprisonment and TBS for suspect in fatal stabbing at Hoofddorpplein

The public prosecutor in Amsterdam today demanded a sixteen-year prison sentence and TBS with compulsory treatment against a now 28-year-old man suspected of murdering a 23-year-old man on the night of August 8 to 9, 2024, at Hoofddorpplein in Amsterdam South.

The victim was hanging out with friends at Hoofddorpplein that night, something they often did. After briefly going to the bathroom and returning to his group of friends, the suspect approached him and stabbed him to death completely out of the blue. A large-scale police investigation was immediately launched. On August 15, 2024, the suspect was arrested and stood trial today. The man is suspected of murder.

Knife brought along

Police investigation revealed that the suspect went to Hoofddorpplein shortly after midnight that day, knowing that a group often stood there at that time who, according to him, had harassed him before. The suspect had brought a knife and hid near the friend group under a car cover he had brought. After the victim had just urinated – presumably near where the suspect was sitting or lying – the suspect stabbed the victim straight in the heart completely out of the blue.

Camera footage shortly after the fatal stabbing shows the suspect running away from Hoofddorpplein towards the street where he lives. Once he enters his street, he is no longer visible on the footage. Police also investigated the doorbell camera of the suspects home. Footage from August 9, the day of the fatal stabbing, is missing. It is unclear whether the footage was never saved or was later deleted.

DNA

A trace containing at least the DNA of the suspect and victim was found on the car cover the suspect carried. The suspects DNA was found in multiple places on the car cover, including around two damages where the victims DNA was also found.  

Several witnesses stated that prior to the fatal night of August 8 to 9, 2024, there had been earlier confrontations between the suspect and the victims friend group.

During the second search of the suspects home, child pornography was found on his computer. Also, a gas-powered pistol resembling a real firearm was found.

Pieter Baan Center

The suspect was observed at the Pieter Baan Center, where he refused to cooperate with the investigation. The psychologist and psychiatrist concluded that the suspect has complex issues, but these could not be clarified because the suspect did not want to cooperate. However, the public prosecutor is convinced that the suspect has a disorder and that treatment in a forced setting is necessary.

The Public Prosecution Service assumes premeditation. The public prosecutor has asked the court to impose, besides a sixteen-year prison sentence, TBS with compulsory treatment on the suspect for murder.

Verdict in two weeks.