Prosecutors Seek 20-Year Prison Term Plus TBS for Rape and Killing of 75-Year-Old in Halsteren

Overview

• In court, Elias M. admitted to killing the victim by strangling or smothering her but declined to address the rape allegation.
• Forensic testing found his semen on the victim’s underwear and jeans and his DNA on her body after the 10 October 2023 attack in the Wasven forest, with her body discovered the next day.
• Prosecutors argue he was not psychotic despite his claims of demonic voices, while experts assess diminished responsibility and a very high risk of reoffending and the OM seeks placement in a very high‑security forensic clinic.
• At the time of the attack he was living on a semi‑open ward at GGZ De Mare under an earlier TBS order for a 2022 rape case in Amsterdam.
• Following reviews that found no institutional fault, the clinic tightened admissions for certain TBS categories, and the court scheduled a verdict for 26 January in Breda.