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🇧🇪 Belgium /Crime & Justice

'Giving up we will not do': Volunteers continue search for Heidi De Schepper's body in Balen

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Volunteers with search dogs continue to look for the body of Heidi De Schepper in Balen, Belgium, 16 years after her murder.
  • The judicial investigation into her death has concluded, and prosecutors are seeking to bring two suspects to trial.
  • Despite the investigation's end, volunteers are motivated by new tips and past successes in similar cases.

Sixteen years after Heidi De Schepper was murdered and believed to be buried in Balen, Belgium, volunteers are refusing to give up the search for her body. Despite the conclusion of the judicial investigation, the Search and Rescue Dog Association (Sarda Luky) is continuing its efforts, utilizing specialized search dogs.

We have received quite a few useful tips, including from friends and family of the perpetrators.

— Patrick De CockExplaining the renewed motivation for continuing the search.

The judicial investigation into De Schepper's death has officially ended, with prosecutors requesting that two suspects be brought before the court of assizes. However, Patrick De Cock of Sarda Luky remains determined to find De Schepper's remains. He stated that they have received "quite a few useful tips, including from friends and family of the perpetrators," which have identified at least three new locations to search.

De Cock draws inspiration from a case in Germany where a discovery was made after seven years. "Giving up is definitely not an option for me," he asserted. The search operations have previously focused on an industrial area in Balen, but the changing landscape over the years makes the task more challenging.

Giving up is definitely not an option for me.

— Patrick De CockExpressing his determination to continue the search efforts.

Currently, the search is on hold due to warm weather, which is unsuitable for the dogs' intensive work. However, De Cock is confident that De Schepper's body will be found. He also expressed concerns about the legal proceedings, questioning, "What if the suspects go free because we still haven't found her body?" The court is expected to decide soon whether to proceed with an assize trial.

What if the suspects go free because we still haven't found her body?

— Patrick De CockVoicing concern about the legal implications of not finding the victim's body.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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