Man admits to killing wife but denies murdering daughter in double homicide case

A 48-year-old man on trial for a double homicide in Gjerdrum has admitted to killing his wife but denies responsibility for his daughter’s death, Romerikes Blad reports.

The trial began Monday against the man, who stands accused of strangling his wife, Anette Prydz Sjursen, and their daughter, May Elin, in the early hours of December 12, 2024. When prosecutors read the charges, the defendant acknowledged guilt in his wife’s death but denied killing his daughter.

He admitted to injuring the girl but claimed he attempted to save her life after calling police to report the incident. The man has been in pretrial detention since his arrest.

A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation concluded he was not psychotic at the time of the killings but posed a risk of reoffending. If convicted, he faces up to 21 years in prison, though prosecutors have signaled they may seek preventive detention.