36-year-old man turns himself in for Middelburg teacher's murder

Police in Middelburg announced the arrest of a suspect accused of killing a 53-year-old woman in her home in the Zeeland city. He was identified as a 36-year-old man from Oost-Souburg.

The man turned himself in to a police station in Middelburg at about 2:45 a.m. on Monday. He was detained pending further investigation and interrogation. It was not clear if police intended to arrest more suspects in connection with crimes related to her death..

The woman was found dead on Wednesday afternoon during a well-being check when she did not show up for her teaching job at a higher vocational education institution. Her body was found in the home on De Granaat, and police at the time would only say something led them to believe a crime had been committed there.

“It was different there than usual. I can’t say yet what these circumstances were,” a police spokesperson told Omroep Zeeland at the time. “We’re examining the house, but also asking people in the neighborhood.”

Police that day indicated a forensic investigation was carried out, and the crime scene was processed by a mobile laboratory. Detectives also aked people in the area for help while looking for witnesses.

The community at the school where she taught, Scalda, was shocked by the woman’s death. We are incredibly defeated, shocked and sad,” said Arold Versluijs, the school director, to the regional broadcaster. “We are now focusing on guiding our students and colleagues as well as possible, which is important now.”

A memorial for the woman will be planned after the April-May school holiday.