The 81-year-old man Epko F. from Assen has been sentenced to ten years in prison for the manslaughter of his 72-year-old wife Ida. According to the court, the man killed his wife in August last year after a conflict in the relationship. The judge finds that this is a ‘pure form of femicide’. The woman did not do what her husband wanted and had to pay for this with her death, the judge finds.
The case came to light after the victim’s son reported her missing on August 25, 2025. When officers went to the couple’s home that afternoon, they found large sheets with traces of blood in the suspect’s car. The woman’s body was found shortly afterwards.
Investigation revealed that the victim’s arms and legs were tied with straps and that she had a plastic bag over her head. Injuries were also found to her wrists, upper arms, head and neck.
According to the court, it has been established that the woman died at the hands of her husband. The suspect also acknowledged this. However, it could not be determined with certainty how exactly she died.
Forensic investigation showed that significant force was used against the victim’s head and neck. Possible causes of death were strangulation or suffocation, but the investigation did not provide sufficient evidence to definitively determine one scenario.
The court acquitted the man of murder. Although it cannot be completely ruled out that there was premeditation, the judges believe there is insufficient evidence for this.
The court considers manslaughter to be proven. According to the judges, the suspect consciously accepted the significant chance that his wife would die as a result of his actions.
The man stated that he thought his wife was already dead when he wrapped her body and left it in the water. The court rejected that defense. According to the judges, he should have made sure that she had actually died.
When determining the sentence, the court took into account that the victim was killed by her husband, with whom she had been together for more than fifty years. According to the court, the violence took place after she refused sex. The file also showed that the woman was looking for her own home and wanted to end the relationship.
The court therefore spoke of “a pure form of femicide”. She also accused the suspect of leaving his wife’s body in a disrespectful manner.
Experts from the Pieter Baan Center concluded that the suspect suffers from a psychogeriatric disorder with cognitive limitations due to brain damage. He suffered this after several cerebral infarctions. This made him less able to see the consequences of his actions. The court accepted that conclusion and found him to be less accountable.
Despite his old age and deteriorating health, the court believes that only a long prison sentence does justice to the seriousness of the case. The court therefore imposed a prison sentence of ten years, equal to the demand of the Public Prosecution Service. The compensation claims of the surviving relatives were also granted.