Seinäjoki man faces second murder charge in a week

A 35-year-old man is facing murder, attempted manslaughter and criminal damage charges over a stabbing in Seinäjoki, Yle reports. The case goes before the South Ostrobothnia District Court, a regional court, on Friday. The man was charged with murder in a separate case last week.

The stabbing took place on May 24 in the Kasperi district. Police found a seriously injured man in the yard of an apartment block and an unresponsive man inside a flat. The latter was later confirmed dead.

Police received an emergency call about the stabbing at 6.30pm on a Sunday. Several people were initially detained, but investigators soon concluded that there was reason to suspect only one person. The suspect has been in custody since May.

Investigators have not established a motive. Police said the suspect acted with careful deliberation and used brutal and cruel violence, so the killing was investigated as murder.

The man is also charged in the so-called basement murder case. A man aged about 40 disappeared in Seinäjoki six years ago, and his body was found six months later. After several delays, the case reached court this autumn. Two men are charged with murder, and a verdict is expected in a couple of weeks.

The man charged in the Kasperi case has previous convictions including aggravated assaults, unlawful threats and firearms offences.