No decision yet on further arrest of retired teacher (74) after murder with hammer of Monika (74)

No decision yet on further arrest of retired teacher (74) after murder with hammer of Monika (74) | Jabbeke

The Bruges council chamber has not yet made a decision regarding the further arrest of Noël D. (74). The ex-teacher murdered his wife Monika Pottier (74) with a hammer in Zerkegem almost two weeks ago, but the hearing was postponed at the request of his lawyer. In the meantime, the suspect’s name appears on the victim’s obituary.

Noël D. (74) and Monika Pottier (74) previously lived a secluded life in their home in Vedastusstraat in Zerkegem. On Friday, April 12, there was suddenly a coming and going of police officers. A care provider had called them during the morning. He had an appointment with Noël in the morning, but he didn’t show up. When no one opened the door to his home, he raised the alarm.

The police found Monika lifeless in the seat with a head wound. But because she had already had a thrombosis several times, it was initially assumed that she had fallen and landed badly. Noël was found upstairs in his bed. He was confused and was initially allowed to dispose of it. After all, there did not immediately appear to be a case of murder. That changed after the autopsy. According to the medical examiner, Monika was killed by violence. The investigators immediately put his twin sister in handcuffs on Thursday. The seventy-year-old had been given shelter with her. The woman also believed in a natural death of her sister-in-law.

Funeral

During his interrogation by the federal judicial police, Noël confessed that he killed his wife with a hammer. “I crawled into bed and hoped afterwards that it had been a dream,” he said. On Tuesday morning, the Zerkegem resident appeared before the council chamber in Bruges. He would normally decide whether to extend his arrest, but that did not happen (yet). “We have asked the chairman for a postponement,” lawyer Pieterjan Dens explained. “I have only been consulted since yesterday morning and would like to discuss the file thoroughly with my client again.” The case will be heard again on Friday, May 3.

Striking: Noël D.’s name now appears on his wife’s obituary. According to our information, this is because the victim had not had contact with her own sister for years. It was her in-laws who arranged the funeral. The ceremony will take place on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Tavernier funeral home in Jabbeke.