Christine Kekkonen, 37, fatally stabbed her husband Henri, 41, in the neck but called her mum minutes later saying she had ‘done something awful’
A woman who committed a horrific crime texted her mum to say “I’ve done something awful” after her shocking act.
Christine Kekkonen, 37, fatally stabbed her husband Henri Kekkonen, 41, in the neck at their home. Kekkonen killed her husband at their house between 4pm and 4.20pm on May 9, 2024. The murderer wife sent her mother the harrowing message at 4.21pm that same day and wrote: “Mum, please get the police here now. Please. I’ve done something awful.” Emergency services rushed to their property within 15 minutes but, despite their efforts, Henri was tragically pronounced dead the the scene.
The wife was convicted of murder at Bristol Crown Court in November and was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 15 years. A judge said her decision to hide the knife at the side of their bed “provides evidence of a degree of deliberation”, according to Manchester Evening News.
In a statement read out in court, Henri’s father Olavi Kekkonen, said his “whole world collapsed” the day his son was killed at the couple’s home in Somerset. The dad said: “The ninth of May was the day that Henri was killed, but I didn’t know it yet. For some reason, I was up all night that night and I couldn’t sleep, and then in the morning at 9am there was a knock at the door, and it was the police telling me that Henri had died.
“My whole world collapsed when they told me that. I am not feeling vengeful feelings towards Christine, because these feelings are stupid and not worth it. But I do not understand how Christine is now saying that she is innocent. Henri has never been violent.”
The judge said her mental health challenges did not “provide a satisfactory answer as to why you did what you did”.
He added: “In your deluded mind you felt he was coercive and controlling and should have done more for you. That was simply not correct. Henri promoted your welfare above his own ambitions and you always came first.”
Senior investigating officer at Avon and Somerset Police, Det Supt Lorett Spierenburg, said: “Henri’s life was callously cut short that day through the actions of someone he deeply trusted and cared for.
“Christine Kekkonen’s denial of his murder forced his family to have to relive the awful events of May 2024 and showed them complete disregard. Henri’s family have been able to see justice delivered through the courts, however nothing can bring him back to them, and that is a tragedy.”
Helmiina Suuronen, Henri’s half-sister from Finland, said Christine Kekkonen had taken away her chance to meet Henri for the first time. She said: “The day Henri died, my father, Olavi Kekkonen, called me and told me that Henri was dead.
“It was the hardest phone call of my life. I felt disbelief. My mum explained that Christine had killed him. I felt numb when I heard that and I cried a lot.
“I felt robbed of a relationship with him. I always hoped that I would have a relationship with him one day and now I have a lot of questions I want to ask him and I will never know the answers. I feel like he was stolen from me before I even got to know him.”