Dutch prosecutors seek 12 years for man accused of killing father

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is seeking 12 years in prison for a 33-year-old man accused of killing his father and concealing his remains in their home in Heerhugowaard. Police found the remains in November 2024, more than three years after the alleged killing.

The prosecution alleges that Thijmen V. killed his father on 10 January 2021 during a violent fight. It says the victim was struck on the head eight times with a hard object, possibly a small Buddha statue mentioned by the defendant. An NFI forensic pathologist said the victim may also have been strangled.

The victim’s body had been cut into 238 pieces, according to the report. V. allegedly kept them in 19 rubbish bags in two freezers and a storage box at his home for more than three and a half years.

The prosecution accuses V. of manslaughter. It has adopted the conclusion of a psychiatrist and psychologist that he was slightly diminished in criminal responsibility. The 12-year term is the sentence sought by prosecutors, not a court ruling.