Multiple DNA matches in cold case investigation into young sex worker's Amsterdam murder
Investigators have made multiple DNA matches in the cold-case investigation into 19-year-old Betty Szabo’s murder in Amsterdam’s Red Light District in 2009. On the investigation program Opsporing Verzocht on Tuesday, the police also shared details about a bloody footprint they found at the scene of the young sex worker’s murder.
Betty was found murdered in a prostitution room on Oudezijds Achterburgwal on 19 February 2009. The perpetrator killed the young woman by stabbing her dozens of times.
At the time, the police secured several DNA traces in the room where Betty was killed. Thanks to new techniques, some of these have recently led to matches. Detectives expect to soon know the identities of some of Betty’s clients.
The police gave clients who visited the victim on the evening of her murder another chance to come forward themselves. Otherwise, there’s a chance that the police will contact you soon based on a DNA match, investigators said on Opsporing Verzocht.
After Betty’s murder, the police found multiple shoeprints at the crime scene. One print contained Betty’s blood. On Tuesday, the police released a photo of the print in question, asking the public’s help in identifying the make and model of the shoe.
The police also asked a particular witness to come forward. Simon, a man with both Indonesian and Dutch nationality, worked at the building where Betty worked and died. The police spoke to him immediately after Betty’s murder because he was at the crime scene that evening. New questions have arisen during the investigation, and the police would like to speak to him again. Investigators know who he is, but not where, and asked anyone with information about Simon’s whereabouts to contact them.
Last year, the police reopened the investigation into Betty’s murder and placed a hologram of the young woman at the scene of her murder, hoping for new information. The hologram did result in several tips, but no breakthrough at the time.
