Man kills woman with 17 stab wounds in Porto and claims he "went blind" during attack
Trial began at São João Novo Court with the defendant, aged 57, alleging he lost control following an argument about a wedding ring.
Defendant claims not to remember blows that killed woman in Porto
The man accused of killing his wife with 17 stab wounds in August 2025 in Porto stated at the first trial session that he went "blind and uncontrolled" at the moment of the crime. According to observador.pt, the defendant, 57 years old, blamed the victim for initiating the assault following an argument about a missing wedding ring.
The trial began this Thursday at São João Novo Court. The defendant, who had been married to the victim for three years when the crime occurred, said he was "sorry for the consequences" of what he did, but repeatedly claimed not to remember the details: "I don't remember anything."
The man is charged with aggravated homicide and possession of a prohibited weapon, and has been in custody pending trial since his arrest.
The night of 22 August 2025
According to the defendant himself, everything began at approximately 22:00 when the woman asked him about the wedding ring. The man said he had placed it on the bedside table a week earlier, but when they went to the bedroom to check, the ring was not there.
From that point on, the situation escalated. "She threatened to call the police," the defendant said, describing the next moment as follows: "When I turned around, she came at me with a knife and accused me of having sold the ring."
The defendant claimed he took the knife from the victim's hand and then lost control. "Unfortunately, I struck blows to her body," he said, unable to explain how the blows were inflicted.
The prosecution maintains that the victim was struck 17 times with a knife with a 13-centimetre blade. The woman managed to flee to the street with the knife still embedded in her back — a fact the defendant confirmed, adding that he too went outside to ask for help.
Alcohol and a deteriorated relationship
The defendant further stated that the victim "was somewhat intoxicated" that night, describing her exaggerated behaviour and smell of alcohol, a habit he associated with weekends. However, the presiding judge clarified that the post-mortem examination recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.7 grams per litre — a level the magistrate did not consider significant, given that the victim weighed approximately 100 kilograms and the level was below the legally relevant threshold.
Regarding the couple's relationship, the defendant, a mechanic by profession, acknowledged that "it was good at the beginning and then not," but denied ever having assaulted the woman. He did admit, however, that she had scratched him during previous arguments.
The victim left two children from relationships prior to the marriage. The defendant has five children, also from previous relationships.
The trial continues with the hearing of witnesses.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)