Two arrested for 2003 murder; victim stumbled on criminals
Two suspects were arrested on Wednesday afternoon in connection with the 2003 murder of Alex Wiemink in Posbank, also known as the Posbank murder. The police believe Wiemink was killed because he accidentally witnessed a crime, crime reporter Peter R. de Vries and Aart Garssen, head of the regional criminal investigation department in Oost-Nederland, announced at a press conference on Wednesday, AD reports.
"Important developments" followed the case being discussed on Opsporing Verzocht on Tuesday, according to the police. Garssen called the arrests a "major breakthrough" for this case. "That two men are now arrested after 13 years gives new hope that we can resolve this matter finally. For the relatives of Alex Wiegmink it is very important, they want to close the case."
A 55-year-old from Boekel turned himself in at a police station in Uden on Wednesday afternoon. A 43-year-old man from Veghel was arrested later in the day. According to Peter R. de Vries, Wiegmink was killed because he was "at the wrong time in the wrong place."
Alex Wiegmink never returned home from a jog in Posbank on January 20th, 2003. His remains were found in his burnt out Opel Omega later that evening in the woods near Erp, Brabant.
Wiegmink's family is delighted by the arrests. "We have them. Finally these guys are in custody", Peter Wiegmink, the victim's brother, said to the Gelderlander.
Widow Greet Wiegmink took her three children to her husband's grave so they could tell him the good news. "Then it errupted with messages, emails and phone calls. Everyone in my immedate area sympathized with me over the past days." she said to the newspaper. She is so happy that the "why question" now seems to be answered. "In the press conference, the police said that there must have been an ufortunate coincidence. Alex was in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw something, which had fatal consequences. Just as I always thought."