Husband in mercy killing case jailed until murder trial

A 74-year-old British national in Paphos, who smothered his wife to death after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, has been ordered to remain in custody until his trial next month.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, Paphos police director Michalis Nicolaou said the husband of a 75-year-old British woman who was found dead in her armchair last month will face premeditated murder charges.

The British man had been under police guard at Paphos General Hospital after law enforcement officers rushed to his residence on December 18 and found his wife dead, while he was said to be in and out of consciousness after taking over 100 pills to end his life.

Nicolaou said the suspect “confessed commission of murder against his 75-year-old wife by using his hands to block her nose and mouth because she had leukemia and did not want to see her suffer.”

Previous reports said the man told investigators that his wife had reacted but he pressed on determined to carry out the task, saying his wife had asked him for a mercy killing.

Last month Knews reported police sources had not ruled out lesser charges, with prosecutors taking a step back after the suspect was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

It was not immediately clear whether the suspect made a new confession during a preliminary hearing on Friday or his admission was based on previous out-of-court statements following his arrest.

Last month police sources told Knews that investigators had been thinking about lesser charges but decided to “keep the most serious for prosecutorial purposes” during the investigation.

Nicolaou on Friday said a case of premeditated murder has been filed with a criminal court in Paphos district, while the suspect will remain in pre-trial detention until his arraignment hearing on February 2.