A British expatriate who killed his terminally ill wife in Cyprus has died in hospital, his family has confirmed. David Hunter, 78, was found guilty of manslaughter in 2023 after he suffocated his wife Janice, 74, at their home in Tremithousa, near Paphos, in December 2021.
Background of the case
Janice had been battling terminal blood cancer and had begged him for weeks to end her life, the trial heard. The couple had been married for 52 years and retired to Cyprus in 2002. Following Janice's death, Hunter was sentenced to two years in prison but was freed in the summer of 2023 after time already served.
Health decline and death
Hunter's daughter Lesley Cawthorne, 53, confirmed her father passed away suddenly in a Cypriot hospital. He had experienced a steady decline in health since his release from prison and was admitted to hospital this week with a urinary tract infection. Lesley said the family is devastated and thanked supporters for their help over the past few years.
Legal aftermath
Cyprus' attorney general had appealed both the manslaughter verdict and the sentence, with further court hearings scheduled. The case attracted worldwide media attention, sparking debate over mercy killing. Hunter had attempted to take his own life after Janice's death but was discovered by police alerted by Interpol after he contacted family members.
