The killing of Steven Coenen, allegedly at the hands of his friend and former employer Guillaume Heymans, was revisited this week before the Assize Court. The incident occurred in May 2022 in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, near Brussels.
The night of the killing
According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the first version of the suspect was that the two men had spent the night of 22 to 23 May drinking heavily. Early in the morning, they returned to Coenen's house for "one last drink."
Once there, an altercation broke out. During the emergency call, later examined by investigators, Heymans was heard saying: "I think he’s homosexual, and I don't like that. He wanted something sexual, but I didn’t want that."
He reportedly repeated the same remarks in the police car.
Investigators allege that in a fit of anger, Heymans grabbed a knife and stabbed his friend in the bathroom. A single blow was fatal, leaving Coenen bleeding to death.
The interrogations
As reported by Het Laaste Nieuws, Heymans initially told police he could not remember anything because he had been drinking so heavily. "Everything was hazy, I had drunk too much," he said during his first interrogation, adding that he was surprised by what he himself had said during the emergency call.
In subsequent interrogations, his account shifted. He admitted to having argued with Coenen and later told investigators that he had confided doubts about his own sexual orientation.
According to his version, Coenen mocked and insulted him, and a fight broke out. Heymans then allegedly stabbed his friend out of fear that Coenen would reveal his homosexuality.
The trial
Before the Assize Court, Heymans described his background as "average," with no significant family problems. He acknowledged that he had received psychological counselling as a teenager, had been bullied, and had changed schools multiple times before leaving education altogether.
Chairwoman of the court Isabelle De Saedeleer pictured during the composition of the jury for the trial of Guillaume Heymans, at the Assize Court of Brussels. Credit : Belga.
He was also open about his struggle with alcohol. "Sometimes, when I drank, things went wrong," he told the court. He confirmed that he had long struggled with questions about his sexual orientation: "I felt bisexual before, but I didn't understand it. My father made a lot of comments about it. My gay uncle even told me: 'You’ll have to prepare your father,' which scared me."
The coroner's testimony painted a grim picture of Coenen's final moments. According to court reports cited by Het Laatste Nieuws, the victim sustained multiple injuries to his head, neck and hands, with clear defensive wounds indicating he had tried to resist.
"He therefore consciously experienced a large part of the violence," the coroner told the jury, concluding that Coenen was fully conscious when his throat was cut. The time of death was estimated between 3:20 and 8:50 a.m.
Psychological experts also presented their findings to the court. According to reports, they described Heymans as a man of average intelligence with high self-esteem, limited empathy and a tendency to criticise others rather than himself.
Both the psychiatrist and psychologist noted difficulties in maintaining intimate relationships and acknowledging his sexual orientation. They diagnosed a personality disorder with narcissistic and antisocial traits, compounded by substance addiction.
While they stressed he remained fully aware of the nature and consequences of his actions (and therefore criminally responsible), they warned of a risk of future deviant behaviour.
They recommended specialised treatment for individuals with addiction and underlying personality disorders, though Heymans has not sought such care.
The family's testimony
On Wednesday, members of Coenen’s family attended the hearing. His former wife (who had received a distressing video of the victim's body from Heymans on the morning of the killing) insisted that Coenen was not homophobic. "He was a bon vivant and a great father to a little girl," she said, as quoted by Het Laatste Nieuws.
The victim, Steven Coenen. Credit: Facebook.
At the close of the hearing, Heymans briefly addressed the court. He said he was not asking the family to forgive him but expressed remorse.
