Man who tortured wife to death entitled to claim her inheritance: Court

The court has ruled that a man who tortured his wife to death in 2015 now has a claim to her inheritance, including an estate. The victims relatives are shocked by the decision, which is due to the fact that the man did not go to prison for his crime, according to De Gelderlander.

In 2015, Laurent D. tortured his wife Hetty Verink for weeks at their home in Beuningen until she died of severe blood loss. Now, a court has ruled that D. is entitled to claim his wife's assets, which include an estate in Corle. The decision comes as a shock to Verink's other family members, who called the ruling "unjust."

There is no law against the man receiving his late wife's assets because he did not go to prison for her death. Instead, he was given TBS with mandatory treatment, because experts believe he killed his wife during a psychotic episode. Because he was determined insane, he was released from all charges.

Both the court and a court of appeals in Arnhem have ruled that D. must be included in the settlement of the inheritance by Verink's next of kin. The family of the deceased told De Gelderlander that the decision is bringing back the trauma and grief associated with Verink's violent death.

D. married Verink two years before her death, at 60 years old. He was 18 years younger than she was and did not work or build up savings during the marriage, according to Verink's family. "Now he benefits from her death, which he brought about himself."

D.'s lawyer did not give a comment to De Gelderlander.