20 Years' Imprisonment for Murder with 34 Knife Wounds in Monthey – Sentence Exceeds Prosecution Request
A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in Monthey for murdering his wife. The court significantly exceeded the prosecution's request for 16 years.
Valais Court Sentences Husband to 20 Years' Imprisonment Following Knife Attack on Wife
The district court of Monthey has sentenced a 45-year-old man to 20 years' imprisonment for murdering his wife, according to Google News CH — Crime (de). The sentence significantly exceeds the prosecution's request, which had sought 16 years.
The man killed his wife with 34 knife wounds on 3 August 2023 in Monthey in the Valais region. According to the court, he used five kitchen knives in succession – the blade of one knife broke on four occasions. The victim suffered numerous injuries to the neck, face and upper body.
The deed was triggered by a dispute over money. The perpetrator, a naturalised Swiss citizen originally from North Macedonia, was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence. According to the court, the man's accusations against his wife regarding the handling of joint funds were based on mere suspicion.
The couple's daughter attempted to protect her mother during the attack and suffered injuries to her hands. She knocked her father to the ground, whereupon he stabbed himself in the chest with a knife. The daughter managed to take the weapon from him. The attack only ended with the arrival of the police.
Court president Florent Boissard described the killing as particularly brutal. The accused had given his wife no chance. Without the slightly reduced culpability attributed to alcohol consumption, a life sentence would have been imposed, according to Boissard. The court was also not convinced of the man's genuine remorse.
In addition to the murder conviction, the man was also convicted of aggravated assault on his daughter. Prosecutor Emmanuelle Raboud spoke of an extraordinary outburst of violence; the man had repeatedly fetched new knives after the blades of the previous ones broke.
The defence had pleaded for manslaughter rather than murder and requested a prison sentence of six years. Defence lawyer Pauline Elsig described the imposed sentence as "extraordinarily harsh". She and her client are now considering whether to appeal the verdict to the cantonal court.
In court, the accused apologised to his children and asked for their forgiveness. The court awarded compensation to both children: the son receives approximately 172,000 francs, the daughter 80,000 francs.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)