Prosecutor demands life sentence in Turku domestic murder trial

The trial of a 43-year-old Latvian-born man accused of murdering his ex-partner in Turku opened Wednesday at the District Court of Southwest Finland, with prosecutors seeking a life sentence, Yle reports.

The defendant admits causing the victim’s death in their Harittu district apartment in March but denies the murder charge. A minor child of the victim was present during the killing.

Prosecutors have also charged the man with aggravated assault against the child, which he admits, and with a separate count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. The latter charge is being heard behind closed doors.

Investigators allege the suspect planned the attack in advance, leading authorities to upgrade the charge from manslaughter to murder during the probe.