Tinder Murder court: Suspect was “obsessed” with American victim Mieke Oort

Thomas R., the man suspected of killing Mieke Oort in Leeuwarden, says he was obsessed with the victim. He confessed to killing the American student. R. is standing trial in Leeuwarden on Tuesday. In closing arguments, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) called for a 20-year prison sentence and mandatory psychiatric care in an institution. The court will issue a ruling on 11 November.

The 21-year-old woman died in her student home during a house party early on Sunday, March 6. She had been stabbed multiple times with a knife, suffering from 15 different wounds. Two others were hurt during violent incident, including her 26-year-old boyfriend who was seriously injured. R. said he was in love with Oort, and saw the couple dancing with each other standing in front of the house.

R. (27) met her through Tinder in the fall of 2021. After a few days of chatting, they had a few dates. R. said he never touched her. “There were trips. We went away for weekends,” an emotional R. said in court. “I saw her several times a week. She didn’t want a relationship, but it was more than dating. I found it very confusing.”

Obsession takes over

After several weeks, the relationship went downhill. Oort had let it be known that she was in contact with another man. R. started to watch her, including with a GPS tracker. “I had become so obsessed.” R. took things he had bought for Oort from her home when the relationship deteriorated. He later regretted it, and the contact got better again. “There is still hope, I thought.”

R. wanted to meet with Oort on the evening of March 5. She canceled because she was sick, R. said. He went to her home “because I thought it wasn’t right.” He saw Oort dancing with a man at a party. “I got more and more frustrated, crazier.” He drove his car to his hometown of Leek and returned with a knife, a hammer, and two Molotov cocktails.

R. said he was home for a few minutes. “The round trip is a black hole.” He made Molotov cocktails from gasoline. He had bought the fuel on March 4. “I wanted to set myself on fire.” R. wanted to get rid of his obsession. He denies that he planned to kill Oort.

He threw a Molotov cocktail against the window of Oort’s apartment, and a fire started. “Panic and anger, all kinds of things went through me. It went automatically.” He climbed onto the roof terrace and smashed a door in. Inside, R. stabbed Oort on a staircase. “I don’t know how often and where. I was panicking. I wanted answers, not to hurt her physically.” Oort had 15 stab wounds.

R. also stabbed the man he had seen Oort dancing with and with whom she had been in a relationship for three months. He was seriously injured. Another man sustained minor injuries. Two minutes later, R. was outside and fleeing. The police arrested him in Germany.

Boyfriend: "Sheer luck that I survived"

One of the two other victims said that Oort was fearful that R. would "do crazy things," he wrote in a written statement read to the court by his attorney. The victim rejected R.'s claim that the assault was not premeditated. "He knew exactly what he was doing," said Oort's boyfriend. "We were stabbed in our most vulnerable spots. It is by sheer luck that I survived."

"He knew exactly what he was doing," said Oort's partner. "We were stung in places where we are most vulnerable. It is by sheer luck that I survived."

Oort's parents and her sister watched a live video feed of the criminal case from the United States. They recorded video messages, which were played to the court. Oort's father originally comes from Het Bildt, a region near Leeuwarden. In his video, he showed images of his daughter when she was younger. R. has misled everyone, he said, including the police. Oort's mother believes that R. preyed on her daughter's loneliness.

R. sat bent over and did not dare to look at the videos. "I'm so sorry," he said while crying.

Prosecutor: Murder was premeditated, and warrants a 20-year sentence

Despite his confession and his statement of remorse, prosecutors recommends a 20-year prison sentence against Thomas R. The OM believes the violent crimes were planned out, and thus constitute an act of murder, and not manslaughter. Regarding the injuries sustained by Oort's boyfriend, the OM said it was an act of attempted murder.

Psychological experts have said R. struggles with a personality disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Prosecutors took that into account, and acknowledged he was slightly less responsible for the crimes he committed as a result.

Nevertheless, R. had several chances to change his mind, including during the car journeys, the OM argued. He also stood and waited several minutes in front of the house before using the petrol bombs. Supporting their position it was premeditated, the OM said that on 4 March, R. had bought the gasoline and searched the internet for instructions on how to make Molotov cocktails.

The OM noted that R. attempted suicide multiple times after Oort said she did not want a relationship with him. In one case, police pulled him down from the roof of a building. In another, he had taken 40 sleeping pills. After, R. began spying on Oort, and placed the GPS device on her bicycle.

R. needed clarity in light of his mental problems, but with Oort there was an attraction and repulsion, the OM said. "These two components have greatly enhanced each other." The chance of recurrence is certainly present in future relationships, experts said.

Oort's parents and sister said the prison sentence recommended by the OM is "the minimum they had hoped for."