Breakthrough in coffeeshop robbery homicide: Suspected gunman arrested 23 years later
Investigators had a breakthrough in a robbery-homicide case dating back over 23 years. The police arrested a 50-year-old man from Doetinchem on Tuesday morning for the fatal shooting of Tonny ter Horst in the Achterhoek on 9 October 2000.
Ter Horst, 34, was visiting his brother and sister on the evening of his murder. He went to a neighbor who ran a coffeeshop from his home. The coffeeshop was being robbed at the time. The fleeing robbers encountered the approaching Ter Horst and shot him at close range. He died at the scene.
The only clues the police had were that the two perpetrators were driving a red BMW and one of them spoke with an Achterhoek accent. A hiker on Paasberg also found the murder weapon a few weeks after the murder.
The police reopened the investigation in mid-March after receiving new information. The investigative television program Opsporing Verzocht discussed the case on March 19, filming at the scene of Ter Horst’s murder. The authorities received over 20 tips after the broadcast.
The police did not say what led them to the suspect, but they did thank the people who called in after the Opsporing Verzocht broadcast. “The investigation team would like to thank everyone who provided information. In order not to harm the ongoing investigation, we cannot share any further information and will not comment on the content of the tips.”
