Étienne Dedroog

Étienne Dedroog (born 1971), known as The Lodgers' Killer, is a Belgian criminal and serial killer, responsible for killing a woman in France and the double murder of a Flemish couple. He is also suspected of another murder in Spain. Dedroog was sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder, 25 years for the France murder and is currently being investigated for the Spain killing.[1]

Étienne Dedroog
Born1971 (age 51–52)
Maasmechelen, Limburg, Belgium
Other names"The Lodgers' Killer"
"B&B Murderer"
Conviction(s)Murder, Car theft, Fuel fraud
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment (Belgium)
25 years imprisonment (France)
Details
Victims3–4
Span of crimes
October – November 2011
CountryFrance, Belgium; Spain (suspected)
State(s)Drôme, Luxembourg; Andalusia (suspected)
Date apprehended
2 December 2011
Imprisoned atLantin Prison

Biography

Not much is known about Dedroog's early life, but it was known that he was very attached to his mother. When she died in 2007, at the same time period he was getting a divorce, Dedroog experienced a mental breakdown the following year. According to reports from psychiatrists and psychologists, he has a "psychopathic personality", referring to his morbid egocentrism and tendency to manipulate others.[2]

Véronique Crettaz

Before settling in Crettaz's rural B&B home in Bouchet,[3] Dedroog committed fuel fraud, as well as scamming tens of hotels and B&Bs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Carpentras, Vedène and Caderousse.[4] On 11 October 2011 he killed the 57-year-old by cutting her external carotid artery, before stealing her credit cards and escaping in her car towards Spain.[5]

Tomas Martínez López

On the early morning of 16 November, 76-year-old Tomas Martínez López had decided to go fishing near the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Andalusia.[1] After mentioning his intentions at a bar where he had breakfast, he travelled to a location called Cala Raja, only to be later found dead on a gravel road with his car missing.[6] Initially believed to be an accidental fall that had caused the death, it was later revealed that López had been killed by a violent blow to the head with a rock, which had fractured his skull. His missing car was found on 10 December in La Jonquera,[5] with DNA traces from the steering wheel matching those of Étienne Dedroog.[6][7]

At the time of the murder, Dedroog was in Almería, working as a seasonal orange grower.[3] Authorities later learned that between 17 and 25 November the suspected killer was spotted first in Valencia and then Huesca before returning to Belgium. While examining the deceased's home, they also found a bill issued in Dedroog's name from a hotel in Benidorm, disposed of in the wastebucket.[5]

Martin and Mia Blankaerts

After arriving in Grandvoir, Neufchâteau, Dedroog was directed towards lodging at the house of Martin and Mia Blankaerts (71 and 69 years old, respectively).[3] Deciding that he wanted to steal their car, but was afraid that they would notice him, Dedroog subsequently strangled the couple. He then stole their car and a computer, before eventually abandoning the car in Bruges.[8]

Surrender and trials

On 1 December Dedroog sent a message to his niece on Facebook, stating that he "does not recognize [himself] anymore", that "he did not deserve to be called a brother" and that "he had done more serious things than Ronald Janssen".[5] The day after, he surrendered himself to the police in Leuven.[8]

He immediately confessed to killing the Blankaerts, and on 7 November 2014 he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Assizes in Arlon.[9] However, he vehemently denied killing Crettaz, despite admitting that he had indeed stayed in her lodge on the date of death. Despite the best efforts of his defense team, Dedroog was sentenced to a further 25 years imprisonment by the French assize court.[1]

Since 2015, after a complete investigation, the Spanish police have officially suspected Dedroog as the killer of López, and the lawyer has requested, on behalf of the victim's family, an extradition so he could face trial.[6][10]

See also

References
  1. "B&B Murderer sentenced to 25 years imprisonment in France" (in Dutch). Het Nieuwsblad. 5 May 2017.
  2. "The trial of Étienne Dedroog, the "Lodgers' Killer", has just opened" (in French). Le Dauphiné libéré. 2 May 2017.
  3. "Étienne Dedroog, "The Lodgers' Killer", sentenced to 25 years for murder in France" (in French). 7SUR7. 5 May 2017.
  4. "Suspected Belgian murderer Étienne Dedroog ripped off dozens of hotels" (in Dutch). Knack. 16 December 2011.
  5. "Étienne Dedroog, the murderous journey of a "perverse" psychopath" (in Spanish). Diario de Almería. 1 December 2017.
  6. "Belgian "serial killer" also suspected of murder in the Cabo de gata nature park in Almería" (in Dutch). SpanjeVandaag. 28 February 2017.
  7. Jay Emeny (1 March 2017). "Belgian serial killer may be questioned for death in Cabo de Gata". EuroWeekly News.
  8. "Maasmechelaar Étienne Dedroog gets a life sentence for robbery" (in Dutch). HBVL.be. 7 November 2014.
  9. PN (29 January 2019). "Étienne Dedroog, the "Lodgers' Killer", who killed a couple in Neufchâteau in 2011, again in court" (in French). Sudinfo.be.
  10. "Judge asks Belgium to take prisoner statement for elder murder in Almería" (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. May 17, 2017.
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