Mercy killing claim

A 41-YEAR-OLD Alicante man accused of murdering his great-aunt claimed that she told him she wanted to die.

Believing that the 87-year-old woman, who was practically deaf and blind and also incontinent, wanted him to kill her he strangled her with lamp cable, he told police.

After falling two weeks earlier, her health had deteriorated rapidly and he could not bear to see her suffer, he said.

Contrary to previous reports that he continued living in the apartment, which had belonged to his mother, he stayed in a hotel after pawning some jewellery and a television. Overcome with remorse, he gave himself up to the police five days later, as reported in EWN 1632.

He had lived with his great-aunt since he was released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for ill-treating his wife, a Dutch national.  At first he had a job but gave this up as his great-aunt needed round-the-clock care, but refused to live in a home for the elderly.

Rejecting neighbours’ claims that his client had mental health, drugs and alcohol issues, his lawyer will nevertheless ask for a psychiatric check-up. 

The suspect has now been remanded and charged with aggravated murder owing to the victim’s vulnerability.