Crime, Conspiracy, Cults and Murder

Podbit · Crime, Conspiracy, Cults and Murder

Ep. 116 | You Won't Believe How This Cold Case Was Solved | Nicole van den Hurk

Explore episode Jun 24, 2026

Where this was said

Exhumation, Revelation, and a DNA Profile Finally Worth Pursuing

At 34:40 · chapter starts 32:15

Andy's gamble worked. In September 2011, Nicole's remains were exhumed and delivered to the Netherlands Forensic Institute for analysis using forensic DNA technology that simply hadn't existed when she was first found. Samples dismissed as borderline useless in 1995 — degraded by seven weeks of outdoor exposure — could now yield identifiable profiles. Three emerged: her boyfriend at the time she disappeared (expected given their relationship), convicted rapist Jos de Gee (whose DNA appeared in sperm traces and pubic hair), and an unknown third male who would never be identified. Authorities also publicly confirmed for the first time that Nicole had been sexually assaulted — a detail documented internally in 1995 but kept from the public until now. The reward was bumped to €15,000, over 20 new leads came in within a week, and the case had its first real momentum in nearly two decades.

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