The trial of Jurgen Demesmaeker, suspected of murdering his partner Ilse Uyttersprot, has commenced in the East Flanders assizes court.
Throughout Monday, the court focused on the investigators’ testimonies and the disturbing visuals associated with the case.
The victim, Ilse Uyttersprot, had died from a severe head trauma caused by six blows with a hammer. The court president had advised the victim’s family to avoid looking at the extremely graphic images presented.
Despite this, the family chose to stay in the room, averting their eyes instead.
The jury was shown photographs of where Jurgen Demesmaeker had hidden the murder weapon, which he claimed to have picked up in the heat of the moment.
The investigators had prepared a detailed 200-page report that included exchanges of messages between Uyttersprot and Demesmaeker. These suggested that Demesmaeker was afraid that Uyttersprot would end their relationship, a sentiment that didn’t align with Uyttersprot’s messages.
The trial continues on Tuesday with expert witnesses such as forensic scientists, a toxicologist, and psychiatrists set to testify.
