1998 murder suspect extradited to Netherlands on Wednesday: report

Jos B., the man suspected of killing 11-year-old Nicky Verstappen in 1998, will be extradited to the Netherlands on Wednesday. He will be picked up in Spain with a special plane and brought to the Netherlands under the guard of Interpol employees, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reports based on sources.

According to the broadcaster's sources, B. will depart from Barcelona at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The Public Prosecutor in the Netherlands would not confirm this to broadcaster NOS. The Prosecutor will only make a statement once B. is handed over to the Netherlands.

The 55-year-old man from Simpelveld is suspected of involvement in the sexual assault and murder of 11-year-old Nicky Verstappen in Brunssummerheide in 1998. He was linked to the crime through DNA traces found on the boy's clothes. A large DNA kinship investigation was done to find the perpetrator of this crime. B. did not participate in this investigation, but members of his family did. B. was arrested last week Sunday in a village near Barcelona.

Over the past days, the Spanish police spoke to local witnesses in this case, according to NOS. This happened in collaboration with a Dutch detective and prosecutor.

Once B. is in the Netherlands, he will be arrested again. The man can expect a hard time in Dutch custody, according to former prison director Jacques van Huet. As a suspected sex offender, he will be at the bottom of the criminal pecking order. And as his victim was a child, he will be a serious target, Van Huet said to De Stentor.

B.'s name and photo was spread in the media while the police were looking for him. So there is no chance that he can hide what crime he is in for. "There is a lot of verbal violence, but physical violence also occurs regularly. You have to pay extra attention when, for example, they're outside or showering", Van Huet said. "It can lead to a scuffle, in which people like that can be beaten up properly."