Man on trial for killing acquaintance and storing body on balcony for 2.5 months
The Southwest Finland District Court began hearing a homicide case on Tuesday involving a 43-year-old man accused of killing his 44-year-old acquaintance and storing the body on his apartment balcony for over two months. The trial started at 9:00 AM, with the accused appearing via remote connection.
According to Iltalehti, the defendant appeared calm during the proceedings, shuffling through papers without covering his face. The victim, who disappeared on 4 February, is believed to have been killed the same day in the accused’s apartment in Varissuo, Turku. Police discovered the body on 20 April during a search of the premises, where it had been stored on the balcony.
The investigation initially began as a missing person case after the 44-year-old man vanished in early February. By spring, authorities had reclassified it as a homicide inquiry. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the men had been in the accused’s apartment when an argument escalated, leading the defendant to strike the victim with a heavy hammer. The accused has confessed to the killing.
The defendant had been living in the apartment despite his rental agreement ending in January. By the start of the year, he had accumulated over €1,000 in unpaid rent, and the landlord had initiated eviction proceedings (Ilta-Sanomat). Iltalehti notes that the accused has an extensive criminal record, including convictions for robbery, assault, and drug-related offenses.