"We'll never get over this," says suitcase murder victim's mother in court

Emotions ran high in the court in Dordrecht on Wednesday morning. Relatives of Manuel Alvarez y Pena (29) from Zwijndrecht, who was stabbed to death, dismembered, and stuffed into several suitcases, exercised their right to speak on the second day of the suitcase murder trial. During its closing argument, the Public Prosecution Service called for the five suspects to be convicted, and sentenced to between 20 and 24 years in prison.

The father of three young children disappeared on July 28, 2021. “My mother's heart stopped beating at that moment,” the victim’s mother said about the disappearance. “We searched in sewers, on waterfronts, in bushes, in bunkers, and so on.” Five days later, his dismembered body was found in the trunk of a parked car in Doredrecht. Eleven body parts were stuffed into separate suitcases.

The main suspect, 27-year-old Abdi B. from Zwijndrecht, was accused of luring the victim to a home he was using on Zevenkampsering in Rotterdam. There, Alvarez was stabbed to death after being tied up and possibly tortured, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said.

The body was cut into pieces with a saw in an inflatable swimming pool in the living room. The remains of skin and bones were found on the saw. In the home, which was rented out for a day, police also found bloody shoes and gloves. In addition, investigators found a jerry can with blood, as well as cable ties and license plates.

B. is said to have transported the body in two large suitcases. He placed the suitcases in a taxi, the OM said. Surveillance images were taken on the street, which were shown in court. The taxi ride took B. to Dordrecht, where he put the suitcases in the parked car.

The main suspect has claimed he acted alone, but the OM accused four other men of complicity in the murder and disposal of the body. These are Burhan A. (20), Mustapha B. (28), Khalil Y. (22) and Ali Y. (25). Traces of their DNA were on items found in the Rotterdam home. It is not known who may have taken part, and in what capacity, nor is the motive for the murder known. The suspects have thus far remained silent about the incident thus far.

A. has denied having been in the home on Zevenkampsering, and said through his attorney that he is innocent. A. himself contacted the police as a witness, because he had bought cleaning products and garbage bags for B., as well as an angle grinder saw at a hardware store. He did not know why B. needed those items. "He has nothing to hide," said his lawyer, who argued for acquittal.

Victim's family "living in this hell"

The prosecutor called the events "the cold and brutal facts," and compared the murder to an assassination which had been planned and prepared for a long time. "Manuel's life was taken in a gruesome manner. It is frightening to think that people are apparently capable of this."

“None of us will ever get over this,” said the mother, who brought a framed photo of her son to show the court. “We are living in this hell every day.” Manuel was so loved in the family and is missed every day. “Words are not enough to express how loved and important he was.”

Her grandchildren are traumatized. “The worst is yet to come for them. Only when they are older will they realize how their father was killed,” she said. “Do you know how hard it is when one of his little girls asks on her birthday: Do you think daddy will come to my party? Once again, our shattered hearts break.”

In addition to his biological mother, her partner, Manuel’s second mother, also spoke. “This is not the murder of one person, but the murder of an entire family,” she said. “My family has been devastated, crushed, actually murdered. The people we were on 27 July 2021 are gone and are not coming back.”

Attorneys for the four suspects accused of aiding B. in the murder will present their final argument on Friday. A court ruling is expected to be presented on October 9.