More than two years after the murder of 82-year-old Maria Kelders from Hamont, the judicial investigation has been closed. Last Friday, the council chamber in Hasselt agreed to a ‘revocation of criminal proceedings for death’ in a file that was qualified as parricide.
After investigators had invested an enormous amount of capacity in the search for the murderer, all investigative efforts now appear to have been exhausted. Every possible avenue was explored, but in the end almost all elements and evidence gathered pointed to the victim’s son. At the end of the investigation he was the only plausible perpetrator. The final claim of the public prosecutor’s office must also be interpreted in this way.
But there will no longer be any question of a confession or prosecution. When the evidence became more and more convincing and the net seemed to slowly close around the man, an act of desperation followed. The Hamonten resident, 53 years old at the time, took his own life in June last year, taking a potential secret with him to the grave: the murder of his mother.
Heavy violence
Maria Kelders was violently and brutally killed in her own home on Burg in the center of Hamont during the weekend of February 19 and 20, 2022. It was the customers of the cafeteria opposite Maria’s home who saw a distressed woman emerge from the terraced house with the white brick facade. It was the granddaughter of the 82-year-old woman who made the terrible discovery. She, also the daughter of the only main suspect, then raised the alarm.
The facts date from more than two years ago. — © Tom Palmaers
The emergency services arrived on the scene, but the ambulance officers and MUG doctor could no longer do anything for the lifeless woman. The local police HANO (Hamont-Achel, Neerpelt and Overpelt) made the first findings and informed the Limburg public prosecutor’s office. It quickly became clear that foul play was involved. The perpetrator trashed the house and used heavy violence during the attack. An investigating judge was requested and because at that time there was no trace of the perpetrator, the Limburg Federal Judicial Police was also assigned to the case.
The precise circumstances were investigated. Existing prints were sampled. The murder probably happened in the night from Friday to Saturday. “Two short screams, but then it was quiet,” one of Maria’s neighbors testified after the body was discovered. The woman woke up at exactly 3:30 am due to the noise. But because it was not clear where the screaming came from, she went back to sleep. “She was such a friendly lady. Always in a good mood, she was always ready to accept parcels for us. We chatted regularly. I am in shock,” said the neighbor whose wife heard the screams.
Small chance
The line of robbery could be crossed out quite quickly. There were no signs of forced entry on the front door and the lock did not appear to have been forced either. It fueled suspicions that the perpetrator and victim must have known each other. But then why kill the woman? There will no longer be an answer to that question. Unless new elements suddenly emerge that justify reopening the file. Nothing is definitive, although the chance is considered very small.
Widow Maria Kelders was considered a sweet and good mother and grandmother. According to a friend’s testimony shortly after the facts, “Maria, or Mia as everyone knew her, was a treasure of a person. Always laughing and loving her grandchildren. Mia had a heart of gold, you simply couldn’t argue with someone like that.” But that’s what happened that fateful weekend in February 2022.
Traumatic past
We cannot write that Mary’s now deceased son is the murderer with one hundred percent certainty. There is no doubt that the Hamonten resident had a turbulent and traumatic past. In the 1990s, for example, he had to deal with a terrible personal tragedy. The man lost his first wife and their son in a traffic accident. The North Limburger was behind the wheel when he must have lost control and drove into the canal. He was able to save himself, but could not get his family out of the car. So the man swam to shore and looked for help. The divers rescued the drowning victims, but the woman and young child did not survive.
Het Belang van Limburg wrote on Monday, July 31, 1995 about the fateful tragedy in which Maria Kelders’ son lost his first wife and their son when he lost control of the steering wheel and drove into the Bocholt-Herentals canal.
Afterwards the man found happiness again. He fell in love and started a new family. But more than ten years ago he suffered a serious professional setback when he saw his carpentry shop completely go up in flames.
Peace
The fact that the son is now being put forward as the only murder suspect is said to be hard on the people who knew him and Mia. During their interrogations by the police, the relatives were kept informed about the direction of the investigation, but no one took civil action in this case. No persons involved nor lawyers were present at the hearing before the council chamber last week. The emotional impact the file has on them is enormous. We asked close relatives for a response, but their wish was to be left alone.
READ ALSO. Who killed 82-year-old Maria ‘Mia’ Kelders? The perpetrator killed Hamont’s grandmother with severe violence
Anyone with questions about suicide can contact the suicide hotline on 1813 or visit www.zelfbloed1813.be
The murder happened in one of the terraced houses on Burg in the center of Hamont. — © Dick Demey
Tags: years murder #82yearold grandmother Hamont file closed suspect HamontAchel
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