July 3rd 1995, Amsterdam
Last night, around 3:35 am, a woman was murdered in Vondelpark. According to an eyewitness, the young woman was approached from behind and got her throat cut immediately.
By the time the police arrived, the murderer and the victim were nowhere to be found. The police did confirm the presence of “a large puddle of blood”. Other than that, they just told us the park will be closed for the rest of the week.
This would be the seventh murder in Vondelpark in only three months. All those murders were committed in public and in all cases the body was taken by the murderer. However, this time the murder was witnessed.
The police refused to answer any more questions, but after a long wait, we were able to chat with the eyewitness: Paul.
Paul went for what he calls an “early morning run” in the park, when he noticed a pretty woman, doing the same thing. He didn’t think much of it, but he decided to run in the same direction. “I wasn’t being creepy or anything, I just felt protective,” he says. “There are plenty of weirdos out there.”
Paul tells us how he even imagined what he would do if she were attacked right in front of him. He could be a hero. “But now I know,” he says. “I am not a hero. When I saw his knife, I froze. I hid behind a bush until it was over and then called 06-11 at the nearest phone booth.”
According to Paul, the police now have a clear description of the murderer. “I had a pretty good view. I didn’t run that far behind the poor woman.”
At this moment, an officer calls for the witness. The female officer asks him to come to the station with her. A sketch artist is present and ready to draw the suspect's portrait. Paul apologizes to us and leaves with the officer.
We tried to get Paul’s details from the police station, but they told us that wouldn’t be possible. That is unfortunate for us, because we do want to finish the interview.
The police did inform: They will show the portrait on the national news tonight.
It is advised not to go outside alone after dark if you are a woman in Amsterdam. The attacker does not seem to target men, or groups. If you really must go outside alone at night as a woman, avoid Vondelpark at all costs.
If you have any information, please contact our tipline at 020-███████ and your local police department.
