15-year-old girl raped near Bilthoven in 2009

In September 2009, the perpetrator was walking in the direction of Bosch en Duin on the “Spoorlaan” bike path through the Panbos. The 15-year-old victim was cycling in the same direction. When she wanted to pass him, he pulled her off her bike, throwing the bike against a tree and threatening to hurt her if she refused to follow him deeper into the woods. Once they were hidden from the view of passers-by, he pulled a bin liner – which he had apparently brought for this purpose – over her head and raped her. The victim and the police still want to know the man’s identity. Therefore, a 3D model and a composite sketch were created based on what the victim remembers of the man’s appearance. The police urgently ask the public to take a good look at the images and come forward if they think they know who the perpetrator may be.

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3D model and tip-offs

The success of using 3D models in solving cold cases was shown in 2021, when the police used a 3D model to solve a sexual offence case. In that case, it was an acquaintance of the perpetrator who identified him. In a special podcast episode (available in Dutch on Apple Podcasts and Spotify), the person who provided the police with the crucial tip-off in that case talks about how this came about, and why he encourages others to contact the police if they think they recognise the perpetrator. The episode also features a forensic sketch artist. She explains how the recollections of victims or witnesses can be translated into a drawing, sketch or 3D model. However, it is not uncommon for such images to match the description of multiple persons. This means that if someone looks like a 3D model, they are not necessarily the perpetrator. Therefore, the police ask the public to think a little deeper: was the person you suspect between 30 and 40 years old in 2009? And could the presence of this person in the vicinity of Bilthoven at that time be explained in any way? The police ask the public to name a possible perpetrator, even in case of doubt, because they have the perpetrator’s DNA profile. By comparing this profile to a DNA sample, it can be quickly verified whether someone is indeed the perpetrator.

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Description

Apart from the man’s appearance, the case has some other noticeable aspects. For example, on the day of the rape, at 1 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, the man smelled of alcohol. Another remarkable aspect is that he was crossing the forested area between Bilthoven and Bosch en Duin on foot. He may have lived in the area or may have been staying there temporarily, for example on a holiday park or in an institution. It is also possible that he had a car or other vehicle parked nearby.

Victim impact letter

Finding the perpetrator is of great importance to the victim. She wrote the following in her victim impact letter:

I had to fight to get my life back in order. And I’m still on high alert every time I leave the house. The horrible memories keep haunting me. Each time I see a news item about women being attacked and abused, or worse, I experience their pain.

The full victim impact letter (in Dutch) can be downloaded below this message.

Tip-offs and self-reporting

People who believe they recognise the perpetrator are asked to come forward. They can contact the police by calling the police tip-off line or completing the tip-off form on this page. Anonymous reports can be made by contacting M. at 00800 0800 7000 or www.meldmisdaadanoniem.nl/english. The Public Prosecution Service has offered a 10,000-euro award for the information leading to the perpetrator’s arrest. The police are also urging the perpetrator to turn himself in so his images can be made unrecognisable. It is possible to report yourself to the police by going to a police station, completing the report yourself form or calling the police tip-off line at +31-79 34 59 800.