American Jury Finds Suspect Guilty of Murdering Dutch Commando Poetsema

indianapolis - An American jury has convicted the man who shot Dutch commando Simmie Poetsema of murder, along with two attempted murders.

American Jury Convicts Suspect in Murder of Dutch Commando

An American jury has found 22-year-old Shamar Duncan guilty of murdering Dutch commando Simmie Poetsema, along with two counts of attempted murder. The jury in Indianapolis reached a unanimous verdict after just a few hours of deliberation. Duncan's sentencing is scheduled for February 24, where he could face 45 to 65 years for the murder, in addition to additional years for the attempted murders.

The prosecutor praised the family of the deceased elite soldier, Simmie Poetsema, for their presence throughout the trial. Ryan Mears, the prosecutor, spoke of justice for Simmie and commended the Poetsema family and fellow soldiers for their compassion.

During the trial, the perpetrator took the stand in an attempt to receive a lighter sentence, admitting to shooting in anger but denying intent to kill. However, the jury did not believe his account. The shooting took place in the summer of 2022 following a dispute between Duncan and the group of Dutch commandos, resulting in the fatal shooting of Poetsema and serious injuries to two other commandos.