A man and a woman in their 40s went on trial Thursday at the Court of Næstved, accused of murdering an elderly woman found dead in Holme-Olstrup in February 2025. Both deny the charges.
The two defendants appeared before a jury court in Næstved on August 13, 2026, as Avisen Danmark reports. It is the first of six scheduled hearings in the case. The victim was found lifeless in Holme-Olstrup, east of Næstved, in southern Zealand.
According to the same reporting, it quickly became clear that the woman could not be saved. Police stated at the time that several circumstances pointed to a death that was not natural. The prosecution says she had numerous injuries to her head and body, and that these injuries caused her death.
A man and a woman in their 40s were arrested on the afternoon of the same day. They were initially charged with violence resulting in death, and were later charged with murder. Both have been held in pretrial custody since March 2025, per Avisen Danmark.
The distinction between murder and violence resulting in death turns on intent. Under Danish law, a murder charge requires that the accused intended to kill. The reclassification of the charge therefore reflects the prosecution’s view of intent in the case.
Indictment alleges strangulation
The indictment states that the two defendants carried out extensive and serious violence against the elderly woman, resulting in her death. According to Avisen Danmark, the alleged violence included strangulation. Lawyers for the man and the woman say their clients both plead not guilty.
The indictment also contains a claim that the female defendant lose any right to inherit from the deceased. Ritzau’s information indicates that the accused woman is the dead woman’s niece. Police said shortly after the arrests in February 2025 that both suspects had a relation to the victim.
It has not been made public what relation the male defendant has to his co-defendant or to the deceased woman. That detail does not appear in the indictment as described by Avisen Danmark. No further information about the circumstances of the death has been released by police.
Verdict expected in September
The trial is being heard by a jury court, the format used in Denmark for the most serious criminal cases. Avisen Danmark reports that a verdict is expected on September 22, 2026. The six hearings are set to take place at the Court of Næstved.
The case is in the news now because the first hearing opened Thursday, more than 17 months after the woman was found dead. Only Avisen Danmark and the news agency Ritzau have reported on the start of the trial.
