Trial in Rotterdam triple homicide, Erasmus Medical Center shooting set for 2025

The criminal case against the 'Erasmus shooter' Fouad L. will probably not be substantively dealt with until early next year. The court had initially hoped that the case could be settled this fall, but because not all of the investigation has been completed yet, this will now be a few months later.

The third preparatory session against L. was held in the secure court in Rotterdam on Thursday. He was not present. The court wants him to be present at the next hearing on September 30. "Then he can get used to the court. It is also good for the victims and relatives to have seen the man," the court said. Many relatives and victims were present in the court on Thursday.

The 33-year-old L. is suspected of fatally shooting 39-year-old Marlous and her 14-year-old daughter Romy on the Heiman Dullaertplein in the neighborhood of Delfshaven and the 43-year-old teacher and general practitioner Jurgen Damen in a lecture hall of the Erasmus MC. This happened on September 28 last year.

The suspect from Rotterdam has said that he felt he "had no place to go" and could not move forward or backward. These are the only comments the suspect has made to date.

L. was a medical student, but he did not receive his diploma because various organizations had made reports about him, which they then shared with the university.

Neighbor Marlous, among others, had regularly raised the alarm about L. There were several reports of nuisance. L.'s home was dirty, and he himself was - according to the prosecutor - "not always clean."

L. was previously convicted of animal cruelty. Later this month, he will be admitted to the Pieter Baan Center (PBC), where for the second time he will be kept under psychiatric observation.