Man suspected of killing his wife, 72, in Delft says she wanted to die

A 78-year-old Harry van S. accused of suffocating his wife, 72, in Delft told the court on Monday that she wanted him to kill her. Despite presenting an initial glimpse into his defense at a public hearing on Monday, the District Court in The Hague ordered Van S. to remain in pre-trial detention for the time being.

The Public Prosecution Service has charged Van S. first with murder, but it also wants the court to consider an alternate charge of illegally euthanising the woman. The incident took place between July 19 and July 22. Authorities discovered the woman’s body on July 22 in the couple's home on César Franckstraat in the Buitenhof-Noord district of Delft. Van S. has been in pretrial detention since then.

During the case’s first public hearing on Tuesday, Van S.'s attorney requested his release pending trial, arguing he should await the trial’s full proceedings in freedom. The court denied the request. “It appears you took deliberate actions that contributed to your wife’s death,” said the court. “Your release could cause a public outcry.”

“My client has explained his actions and is prepared to accept the consequences,” his attorney said, describing the case as “unusual.” She added, “this is a matter of life and death, but the circumstances are unique and occurred within a family setting.”

The prosecutor opposed Van S.'s provisional release. “One cannot decide for another person when it is time to die,” she said, adding that police had interviewed the woman’s family and neighbors during the investigation. “They confirmed she was struggling, but there is no concrete evidence she wanted to die,” said the prosecutor.

The next status hearing is set for January 23, at which point a personality assessment of Van S. will be completed. The court aims to expedite the case to bring the matter to trial soon after.