Raadkamer leaves one suspect free in murder investigation Heidi de Schepper, two remain in cells (bales)
The council chamber in Turnhout again talked about the three suspects in the murder investigation into Heidi de Schepper on Tuesday. Her then partner, Nick M. (55), and Nick Geys (33), who confessed the murder, stay in jail for a month longer. Michael D. will be released again on Tuesday.
At 11.06 am lawyers Hilary Rombouts, Evi De Doncker and David Thoeng entered the council chamber. They are respectively the lawyers of Nick M., Nick Geys and Michael D. (39). Fifteen minutes later they all came up again.
David Thoeng is the lawyer of Michael D., and asked the council chamber this morning to release his client. The council chamber followed now.
« Because I think the investigation has evolved in that sense that there are no more serious indications of guilt that my client would be involved in the murder of Mrs. De Schepper, » said Thoeng after the hearing. « The Public Prosecution Service followed that and said at the hearing that she requires the release of my client. »
No conditions
The council chamber now has decided to release Michael D.. « Normally he is released today because the public prosecutor could agree with my request for releasing and will therefore not appeal, » adds Thoeng. The public prosecutor confirms that they will not appeal. « He has no conditions that he must adhere to, but will of course cooperate with further investigation where he is asked, » lawyer David Thoeng clarified.
David Thoeng, Michael D.’s lawyer, asked the council chamber to release his client. – © Bert de Deken
Michael D. is the one who confessed to the burying of the corpse of Heidi de Schepper and her cemetery confirmed to the investigators. According to his lawyer, D. was not aware of the plan to kill the Creator at the time.
Hilary Rombouts, the lawyer of Nick M., the then partner of Heidi De Schepper, refused to comment on 4 March after the council chamber. Also this time she remained on the plain.
Nick M., the increasing friend of De Schepper, enters the courthouse. – © Bert de Deken
Although Nick Geys and Michael D. Nick M. are a client for the murder of Heidi De Schepper, Rombouts in the middle or her client denies his involvement. « I can’t say anything about that, » said the lawyer. « Nothing has been leaked for the time being and I want to keep it that way for the serenity of the investigation. » When asked how her client is doing in prison, lawyer Hilary Rombouts answered briefly. « It’s not a fun situation, but he has contact with his children. »
Evi De Doncker was present for Nick Geys on Tuesday. She could not say much about the case. « My client cooperates in the research and will continue to do so. That is no more than appropriate in this phase of the study, so we are waiting further, » said De Doncker.
Geys was convicted in 2013 for the murder of his best friend in 2011, a year after the disappearance of the Creator. At the end of February, in just ten minutes, he confessed to the murder of Heidi de Schepper.
Nick Geys who was transferred from prison to the courthouse on Tuesday morning. – © Bert de Deken
Heidi de Schepper was last seen in 2010, but her disappearance was noticed until last year and made public at the beginning of this year through a investigation message. Shortly thereafter it became clear that the Creator was not missing, but killed.
Search for body is standing still
The search for the body of Heidi De Schepper is standing still for the time being. The search was stopped again on March 28, two days after it resumed after an earlier interruption of one and a half week. In total, Speurders, the civil protection, the Missing Persons and DVI cell have searched for the industrial estate at the end of Poeierstraat in Balen for fifteen days. The public prosecutor said that a new evaluation will follow.
