Savonlinna murder suspect ordered for psychiatric evaluation

A district court in Savonlinna has ordered a 23-year-old man accused of murdering his partner and their three children to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to assess his criminal responsibility, Yle reports.

The suspect, who is the father of the deceased children, had requested the evaluation himself. The court issued an interim ruling on Tuesday.

Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for the man on four counts of murder. The case relates to a fire on Independence Day last year in which the woman and three children died.

The trial concluded on 12 June with the defence requesting the evaluation and calling for all charges against the suspect to be dropped.