belgian Man Confesses to Aiding in Concealment of Wife’s Body 14 Years After Disappearance
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Balen, Belgium – After a 14-year inquiry sparked by a concerned school official, Nick M.,55,has confessed to assisting in the concealment of his wife,Heidi De Schepper’s,body. the confession, made in mid-June 2024, follows the earlier admissions of two associates regarding their involvement in her death and burial.
The Disappearance and Initial Lack of Investigation
Heidi De Schepper, then 34, vanished in 2010 from the village of Balen, located in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. Initially, her disappearance did not trigger a large-scale search. She lived a reclusive life, without employment, and her absence went largely unnoticed for years. The case was effectively reopened in early 2024 following a report from the school attended by one of her three children (aged 2, 3, and 7 at the time of her disappearance). School officials, seeking to address a “trouble problem” with the child, became concerned when thay were unable to contact Heidi.
Breakthrough and Confessions
This spring, Belgian police arrested Nick M. and two men – Nick G., 33, and a 39-year-old whose name has not been widely released – in connection with Heidi’s disappearance. Nick G.,previously convicted of murder in balen in 2013,quickly confessed to killing Heidi De Schepper. The second suspect admitted to assisting in burying her remains. Nick M. initially remained silent.
However, on June 14, 2024, Nick M. confessed to helping hide Heidi’s body, first in the basement of their home and then by participating in its burial. He maintains he did not directly cause her death. “I didn’t kill her. But I did help to hide her body, first in our basement. And then to bury her,” he stated, according to HLN.
Heidi De Schepper’s Troubled Past
Investigations revealed a challenging upbringing for Heidi De schepper. As a teenager, she resided in a residential institution for vulnerable girls, severing ties with her family. She met nick M. while still a minor. M.claimed he took her in as a foster daughter after she turned 18, a claim made in an interview earlier this year with HLN.
“She had a very difficult time,” M.said in that interview. “I was the only one who still looked at her.” Further reporting by Nieuwsblad indicates that even caregivers at the institution struggled to understand her private life and sensed something was amiss.
Ongoing Investigation
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to search for Heidi De Schepper’s remains. The confessions of Nick G. and Nick M. are expected to lead to further details about the circumstances surrounding her death. the case highlights the challenges of investigating long-term missing persons cases and the importance of persistent follow-up on seemingly cold leads.
