Trial begins for man accused of murdering ex-wife in Espoo apartment stairwell

A 44-year-old man stands trial in Espoo District Court on Monday, accused of fatally shooting his pregnant ex-wife in front of their children in a planned and “particularly brutal” attack, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The defendant, born in 1981, allegedly shot the 31-year-old woman in the stairwell of a residential building in Espoo’s Henttaa district on 29 August 2025. The victim, born in 1994, was pregnant at the time, though the accused was not the father of the unborn child. Two children witnessed the shooting.

Police described the killing as premeditated and exceptionally violent. The suspect has partially admitted to the charges, which also include firearms offences. A second man, 43, faces charges of aiding the murder and denies involvement. Both men and the victim were of foreign background.

The victim had sought a restraining order against her ex-husband in Espoo, citing years of threats and violence, including rape. The couple had divorced in December 2024 following a court ruling in Pohjois-Savo. She had reported to police that he had hired men to stab her new partner in Turkey earlier in August 2025.

The trial is scheduled to last nine days. The suspect was arrested immediately after the shooting at the scene.