A British expatriate living in Cyprus, who was convicted of causing the death of his terminally ill wife, has passed away in a Cypriot hospital, as confirmed by his family.
David Hunter, aged 78, was found guilty of manslaughter in 2023 for suffocating his wife Janice, aged 74, in December 2021 at their residence in Tremithousa, near Paphos. Janice, who was battling terminal blood cancer, had reportedly pleaded with Hunter for weeks to end her suffering.
His daughter, Lesley Cawthorne, 53, expressed that her father had succumbed to his deteriorating health in the hospital. Hunter, a former coal miner from Ashington, Northumberland, had been experiencing declining health since his release from prison three years ago.
Recent reports indicate that Hunter had been hospitalized due to a urinary tract infection before his sudden demise today. Following Janice’s death, he had served a two-year prison sentence and was released in the summer of 2023 after accounting for time served.
Hunter had chosen to remain in Cyprus, residing near his late wife’s grave in Tremithousa, where they had settled in 2002 after 52 years of marriage.
Lesley, residing in Norwich, expressed deep sorrow, stating, “We are devastated, and the support we have received over the past few years has been invaluable to us.”
The attorney general of Cyprus had appealed both the manslaughter conviction and the sentencing of Hunter, leading to ongoing court proceedings.
During Hunter’s trial in Paphos, it was revealed that he had attempted suicide after suffocating Janice. However, he was discovered by police following an alert from Interpol after he had informed family members of the tragic event.
The case garnered global attention, sparking discussions on the ethical implications of mercy killing.