Suspected Amsterdam serial killer attempts suicide in cell

Sjonny W., a 44-year-old Amsterdam man suspected of gruesomely murdering three women, tried to commit suicide in his cell in the penitentiary in Zaanstad on Wednesday, the Telegraaf reports based on "informers from the prison".

The Ministry of Justice and Security did not deny the incident, but refused to comment on it. "This is an individual case. We can not say anything about it", a spokesperson said to the newspaper. W.'s lawyer also refused to comment.

W. attempted suicide on Wednesday after spending some time in the prison's psychiatric center. When he returned to his cell, he first hit his head hard against the wall and then used a sharp object to cut his wrists and groin, according to the Telegraaf's informers. Prison staff found a bloodbath in his cell.

How he got his hands on a sharp object, is not clear.

Sjonny W. is suspected of murdering Monique Roossien in 2003, Mirela Mos in 2004 and Sabrina Oosterbeek earlier this year. Oosterbeek went missing in March. Her body hasn't been found, but the police believe her dead. W. was initially arrested for involvement in Oosterbeek's disappearance and later linked to the other two murders via a DNA match. All three crimes happened in Amsterdam.

A relative of one of the victims is furious that W. almost managed to commit suicide. "How could this happen? It can not be that after all these years you arrest a suspect for a series of murders and then he can so easily escape prosecution", the relative said to the Telegraaf.