Hungarian man brutally murdered ex-partner in front of her children: here’s the verdict

A Szeged appeals court has upheld a life-long prison sentence for a 37-year-old man from Jászladány, who brutally murdered his former partner in December 2022. The perpetrator, classified as a violent multiple reoffender, will never become eligible for parole, meaning he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Years of intimidation escalated into brutal murder

The court found the man guilty of murder committed with “particular cruelty” and armed home invasion. According to the case details, he had lived with the victim since 2007, and the couple had one child together, in addition to the woman’s three older children, Hungarian News Agency MTI reported.

He had previously been imprisoned in 2008 and was released only in the summer of 2022. From behind bars, he had already attempted to re-establish contact with the woman, who made it clear she did not want to resume their relationship due to his violent behaviour. The man refused to accept her decision. In the months leading up to the murder, he continuously harassed, intimidated, and abused her, both emotionally and physically, 24.hu wrote.

Just before Christmas 2022, he threatened her with the chilling message:

“I will massacre your family together with you.”

Children fleeing through a window

On the night of 30 December 2022, he went to the woman’s home. Despite repeated pleading, begging, and demands, the mother refused to let him in. He then forced open the kitchen window, climbed inside, and entered her bedroom.

There, he punched her repeatedly in the face and stabbed her at least five times with a pocketknife. Although gravely injured, the woman had the presence of mind to instruct her four children (who witnessed the attack) to escape. All four jumped out of a window and ran to a nearby relative for help.

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A brutal killing and violent standoff

During the stabbing, the pocketknife’s blade bent, prompting the attacker to seize a 25-centimetre kitchen knife. With it, he fatally stabbed the woman in the neck on both sides, severing major blood vessels as well as her windpipe and oesophagus. She died at the scene.

When relatives arrived, the man threatened to stab them as well and refused to let them inside. Police officers ultimately forced their way into the house, where they managed to overpower and arrest him.

Court: No possibility of leniency

Initially, the defendant admitted guilt, but later retracted his confession, disputing certain details of the attack while claiming he regretted his actions. However, the Szeged Court of Appeal upheld the earlier ruling of the Szolnok Court, emphasising that because he is a violent multiple reoffender, Hungarian law mandates life imprisonment without the possibility of conditional release.

Presiding judge Erik Mezőlaki explained that the court had no legal basis to impose a lighter sentence: any form of leniency, including parole, was excluded by statute.