A convicted killer known as the ‘Woodsman’ is back in court this week, appealing his latest conviction for murdering a career criminal he first met in Sörnäinen jail.
The District Court already sentenced Veli Matti Huohvanainen to life in prison for murdering Raimo Andersson during prison leave. The men were old prison friends and had known each other for 20 years when prosecutors say Huohvanainen intentionally, and repeatedly, hit and kicked Andersson to death.
Huohvanainen admits causing Andersson’s death, but denies murder and told the Appeal Court in Helsinki on Monday that there had been hours of drinking before he went to Andersson’s house on the day he died.
Prosecutors contend that the killing was particularly brutal, cruel and persistent. They say Andersson did not resist and was unable to defend himself. Security cameras at the home show only those two men present at the time of the attack.
This was the fourth murder conviction for the ‘Woodsman’ who had already been convicted at the start of the 2000s for a triple murder, including shooting a man in the head while his 7-year old daughter watched.
