A 26-year-old man is facing charges of negligent manslaughter at the Court in Aarhus following the deaths of two young women in his apartment during the summer of 2023. The man is accused of negligently causing the deaths of the women, aged 23 and 18, and of endangering them by leaving them in a helpless state.

The charges stem from incidents where the 23-year-old woman died after ingesting a combination of cocaine and strong pills, while the 18-year-old woman died after ingesting various pills, including opioids.

The defendant admits to selling pills to both women but denies responsibility for their deaths, stating that they chose to take the substances themselves. He explained that he knew the women and they had stayed with him in the days leading up to their deaths, while also admitting to a severe pill addiction which fueled his drug-selling activities to afford his own “next fix,” listing oxycodone, diazepam, and tramadol among the substances he abused.

The man detailed an instance where, prior to the 23-year-old woman’s death, they had attended a party where she consumed both cocaine and pills, clarifying that he had cautioned her against mixing the two, though he admits to providing her with money to purchase additional cocaine.

Both women were discovered deceased in the man’s apartment. Evidence presented in court included video clips found on the man’s phone depicting the women in a state of near-unconsciousness. In particular, a video recorded shortly before the 18-year-old woman was found lifeless showed her with visible blue lips, prompting an emotional response from an audience member in the courtroom.

The man was arrested on September 3, 2023, after the 18-year-old woman’s death, and initially charged with murder, but those charges were later reduced to negligent manslaughter under particularly aggravating circumstances after investigation. The trial is expected to conclude on Tuesday, with five witnesses scheduled to testify.