Elderly Calgary man with dementia, Fred van Zuiden, deemed unfit for trial in wife's death

An elderly Calgary man accused of killing his wife of 56 years suffers from severe dementia and is not medically fit to stand trial, a judge ruled Friday.

Fred van Zuiden, 85, was charged with second-degree murder after his wife,Audrey van Zuiden, 80, was found dead inside their home on Oct. 4, 2016.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr. KenHashmantestified late last year that hebelievedvanZuidenwasunfit to stand trial after evaluating him for two months.

He appeared in court again Friday, telling Judge AllanFradshamthat vanZuiden'scondition has now worsened.

"He can still beat everyone on the forensic unit at chess, but he can't remember he just saw his lawyer,"Hashmansaid.

VanZuidenwrote a bestselling memoir about hiding from the Nazis for two years as a boy in occupied Holland during the Second World War.

Court heardthat van Zuidenat times believed it was still the1940s and he and Hashman were on the run from German soldiers.

That confusion alsosurfacedin earlier court proceedings. In November,vanZuiden seemed confused as he appearedbefore a judge, asking, "Am I in court?" as he was escorted to theprisoner'sbox and mumbling,"I have not committed a murder in all my life."

At the time, family friends said van Zuiden didn't understand his wife was dead.

• Senior with suspected dementia accused of killing wife

Van Zuidenrequires around-the-clock care, the forensic psychiatristtold court Friday.

The judge accepted the expert's findings and ruled that van Zuidenmust go before a mental health review panelwithin 45 days for a determination on where he should receive care.

Defence lawyer Alain Hepner saidsaid he will seek to have the criminal chargestayed after that.

He said his client, who was not required to attend Friday's hearing, is very confused and does not understand what is happening around him.

"He doesn't understand. He doesn't recognize Dr. Hashman, who's really the head caregiver for him," he said.

"I can't explain it to him. He doesn't even know why I'm there on behalf of the family."

Van Zuidenhas been held in custody at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre, where he will remain for the time being.

Grandfather figure

Family friendGordon van Gunst said staff there are taking good care of him and have come to like him.

"Fred is now a grandfather to themtype figure. And they appreciate him like that," he said.

"It would be nice if he could stay where he's at. There are only a couple of facilities in our province that will allow for care of people with severe dementia."

Another friend, Vince Walker, said van Zuiden and his wife, Audrey, were an inspiring couple.

They're as close to being one person as you could ever get," he said. "They only had each other. They were a unit."