Friend: Murdered woman wanted to leave boyfriend

Manon Pieters, whose body was found along with her 16 year old daughter's in their Leiden home on Sunday, wanted to leave her boyfriend Alex L., a friend of L.'s family told newspaper AD. L. was taken into custody on Monday in connection with the death of Manon and 16 year old Fleur. Manon had two kids from a previous relationship, Fleur and her teenage brother. The police launched a search for the two women and L. after the boy reported that he couldn't get hold of them. Fleur and Manon's bodies were found hidden in a crawlspace beneath their home on Kinselmeerstraat on Sunday evening. L. and Manon's relationship was a problematic one, according to this family friend, L.'s father and one of Fleur's classmates. The problems were aggravated by two stillborn babies. "Always arguing, always scolding and always grumbling at each other", L.'s father described the relationship to AD on Monday. A neighbor described the family as friendly and seemingly normal. "They always waved and we often had a chat", she said to the newspaper. "These houses are always quite noisy. If there is a fight, you hear it. It was quiet at the neighbors."