Woman stabbed to death by husband asked police for help hours earlier, court told

A woman who was fatally stabbed by her husband in Hardenberg had spoken to the police shortly before the incident. She told officers that she was terrified of the man, which was revealed in the court in Zwolle on Thursday. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) recommended 14 years in prison and compulsory psychiatric treatment (TBS) against the suspect, 57-year-old Hans H.

On October 29, 2024, 53-year-old Tonnie called police to report that her husband, H., was violating the restraining order that the mayor of Emmen had issued against H. on October 22, 2024. “You threatened her. You said she wouldn’t make it to 54. She was terrified,” the judge told the defendant.

Later that day, around 4:45 p.m., as she left the childcare center in Hardenberg where she worked and got into her car, her husband pulled up, broke her side window, and attacked her with a knife, stabbing her 20 times. The woman died from her injuries a little over half an hour later while she was on the way to the hospital.

H. partially admitted to the stabbing, telling the court, “Apparently that was me.” He had gone to his wife’s workplace to confront her, claiming, “I thought she was bugging me and having me followed.” He is also accused of assaulting his wife and one of their daughters just over a week before the fatal attack, after which he was placed under a restraining order.

Tonnie hesitated to press charges. “I am terrified that he will come after me and hurt me,” she stated in her declaration. “The final moments of Tonnie’s life must have been extremely frightening for her,” said the prosecutor. H. also had a motive to kill his wife, said the prosecutor. “He suspected her of cheating. And she had told him she wanted a divorce,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor argued that the murder was premeditated. H., according to the indictment, prepared by buying a new phone and SIM card and driving a rented car to the childcare center, carrying two razor-sharp knives wrapped in a towel. “He waited for 40 minutes before attacking,” the prosecutor said.

At the opening of the hearing, H.’s lawyer asked for the case to be postponed so that the option of conditional psychiatric treatment (TBS) could be considered. The prosecutor opposed the request, indicating she intends to seek TBS with compulsory commitment instead. The court denied the lawyer’s motion.

The prosecution considers TBS with compulsory treatment necessary because Hans H. suffers from a paranoid condition, believed he was being followed and bugged by his wife, and is also addicted to drugs.

The Zwolle court is devoting the whole day to the trial.