A 31-year-old man in the Netherlands, identified only as Jesse R., confessed to decapitating his mother with an axe before fleeing with her head in an Ikea bag, prosecutors in the case said, according to local media reports.
Newsweek reached out to the man’s defense attorney via email for comment on Monday.
The Context
The case of the man accused of the beheading in Hellevoetsluis and identified only as Jesse R. in Dutch media reports, has shocked residents and reignited debate in the Netherlands concerning mental health oversight and legal responsibility in violent crimes.
The brutal nature of the event and the suspect’s mental health history, coupled with his interactions with psychiatric professionals, have drawn scrutiny from local officials and concerned citizens.
What To Know
Prosecutors told a Dordrecht court on Monday that Jesse R. confessed to beheading his mother, Alia, with an axe at her home in Hellevoetsluis, just before Easter. Alia’s partner discovered her body and saw Jesse R. fleeing, prompting police to apprehend him shortly afterward, Dutch News reported. Police found Alia’s head and the axe in a bag in her car, which Jesse R. was driving when arrested on the A4 motorway, according to the NL Times news site.
Prosecutors said in court that Jesse R. was likely experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the killing. He had posted on social media about his bipolar disorder and past psychosis treatment. He also had contact with a psychiatric nurse before the slaying.
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Jesse R. is scheduled for psychiatric assessment at the Pieter Baan Centre, although the evaluation is delayed until at least November due to waiting lists. Defense attorney Job Knoester has requested mental health professionals who interacted with Jesse R. before the incident be called as witnesses.
Residents of Hellevoetsluis previously expressed their horror and disbelief at the killing. Mayor Arno Scheepers in April described the event shortly after it occurred as shocking and noted how the community is grappling with the tragedy, the NL Times reported.
The victim, Alia, was described by neighbors as a “very sweet woman” and devoted mother of two. Jesse R. had previously lived in Diemen and Amsterdam, and was not residing with his mother at the time, but was visiting her for Easter, according to the local media reports.
Police and prosecutors confirmed that Jesse R. remains in custody pending further investigation, with a pro forma hearing scheduled for October 21.
What People Are Saying
Knoester, while in court on Monday: “It’s slowly starting to sink in what he’s done, and he finds it horrific,” according to Dutch News.
Knoester, to the Netherlands’ Brabants Dagblad newspaper: “He’s not just the perpetrator, he’s also a bereaved son. He has to live with this. He’s receiving help on the psychiatric ward of the detention center in Scheveningen. When I try to imagine what he must be feeling, I get chills.”
Scheepers in April said he and the municipality were “shocked and in disbelief about the horrific event,” according to NL Times.
What Happens Next
Jesse R. will remain in custody at the Pieter Baan Centre while awaiting psychiatric assessment, which is not expected to begin until at least November due to high demand. The court has scheduled the next pro forma hearing for October 21.
Investigators continue reviewing the adequacy of his prior mental health care and will call a mental health worker as a witness to further clarify Jesse R.’s state of mind at the time of the killing.
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