This is something I do not usually do, but because it concerns the son of one of my cousins—who was murdered 20 years ago—I am sharing this cold case.
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On Monday, January 3, 2005, a local resident of the Lindenheuvel neighborhood made a shocking discovery when he came across the dead body of Henri Nieboer. The 33-year-old had been missing since December 23, 2004, and was found deceased in the backyard of his home at Lavendelstraat 9 in Geleen (province of Limburg,the Netherlands).
Immediately after the body was found, detectives launched an extensive investigation into Henri’s death, including a large-scale neighborhood inquiry. Residents of the area were questioned about the victim and about anything unusual they may have noticed in the preceding weeks. At the same time, Henri’s body was examined to determine, among other things, the cause of death.
The pathological examination quickly concluded that Henri Nieboer had died as a result of an extreme overdose of narcotics that had been administered to him, possibly in combination with other substances. How long the resident of Geleen had been lying dead in his garden was not clarified or made public.
About Henri Nieboer
Henri was born in the Lindenheuvel district of Geleen and also grew up there. People in the neighborhood knew him well enough to be aware that Nieboer earned his money through drug dealing. Although he operated within criminal circles, many people were very fond of him and described Henri as a very kind and helpful man. According to acquaintances, he was always ready to help others. Many believed that he would never have administered an overdose to himself and that his death must have been the result of a settling of scores in the criminal underworld.
Henri had been living for about three years with his girlfriend Claudia at Lavendelstraat 9. The couple had been in a relationship for some time, but it had eventually broken down. They had agreed that within a few months each would go their separate ways permanently. Henri had reportedly already met another woman. According to the police, he was socially very active.
Arrest
Little information was made public about the police investigation, but after eight months it became clear that it had yielded some results. Girlfriend Claudia was arrested by detectives on suspicion of involvement in Henri’s murder. In her statement about her ex-partner’s disappearance on December 23, 2004, she said that Henri had been picked up around 2:45 a.m. by someone she did not know, and that no one had heard from him afterward. After extensive questioning, the police released her on September 15, 2005. Whether she remained a suspect is unknown. Following her release, the investigation apparently came to a standstill.
Years later, in 2017, the police published the case on their annually recurring cold case calendar. This calendar was distributed in, among other places, prisons and forensic psychiatric clinics, and in some cases led to new information. In this instance, however, the publication and accompanying media attention did not result in a breakthrough, and the case once again ended up in the archives.
Information and Tips
The murder of Henri Nieboer took place many years ago. His relatives and the police still hope that the perpetrator will one day be identified. We share that hope and therefore ask for your help. If you know anything at all about this case, please contact us now. You can respond (if desired completely anonymously) via the tip form below. We will ensure that the information you submit is forwarded to the police’s dedicated cold case team so that the investigation can be resumed. Do not hesitate—let us know now.
History of Sorts 
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