Netherlands Fem 25-35 yrs, 162 cm, possibly English, gold-coloured earrings & 2 thin gold-coloured necklaces, on a boat at Jacob van Lennepkade, 16 Jan. 1998

JennieM

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Case name: The woman on the boat
Case code: 2023-NL06

  • Date of death (estimated): 16 January 1998
  • Date of discovery: 16 January 1998
  • Location: The Netherlands: On a boat at Jacob van Lennepkade, at the corner of Nicolaas Beetstraat in Amsterdam.
  • Sex: Female
  • Estimated year of birth: 1963-1973
  • Estimated age: Between 25 and 35 years old
  • Height: 162 cm
  • Skin tone: Light-skinned
  • Hair colour: Brown (possibly dyed)
  • Eye colour: Green
  • Clothing:
  • Tattoos, birth marks, scars: None
  • Jewellery: The victim wore gold-coloured earrings and two thin gold-coloured necklaces. One necklace had a small gold-coloured heart-shaped pendant.

The case​

In January 1998, a fire broke out on a small houseboat at Jacob van Lennepkade in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. After the fire, the body of a woman was found in the houseboat. Investigations revealed that the woman had been living under a false name and her true identity was never discovered. It also never became clear whether the fire was an accident, or whether the woman had been killed.

Characteristics​

Based on photos of the victim and technical information, police experts made a drawing of the woman. It shows what she probably looked liked when she was still alive. The woman had eczema, and many warts around both knees. She did not have any tattoos or noticeable scars.

The woman was known as Karen or Catherine, but it is not known if this was her true name. The investigation did not reveal her true identity.

Contact
If you have any information regarding the possible identity of this person, please contact the Dutch national police via the form below.

You can also contact them and view this case on their national police website.





Thought that maybe she could be English. Listen to Forensic scientist Carina Van Leeuwen's interview from 39:40. Her boyfriend in Netherlands said that she told him she was born in Bombay and that she had an English father and a German mother.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for making this thread. This woman was on my radar for a long time. Just now they gave all the information surrounding her death and that's great and helpful. I always pictured her being found on the street, not in a boat, not in a fire.

Bringing over this, because I think it's relevant (already in the header, I know).
One of the women could be English. Found in a little boat, killed by fire. She lived for a while in the Netherlands and spoke only English.
 
Thank you for making this thread. This woman was on my radar for a long time. Just now they gave all the information surrounding her death and that's great and helpful. I always pictured her being found on the street, not in a boat, not in a fire.

Bringing over this, because I think it's relevant (already in the header, I know).
The forensic scientist in the Woman's Hour interview, Carina Van Leeuwen, is hoping that someone will identify her now, even maybe someone she went to school with in England, if she is indeed English. Let's hope there is enough information now to trigger someone's memory to help with the investigation!
 


Case name: The woman on the boat
Case code: 2023-NL06

  • Date of death (estimated): 16 January 1998
  • Date of discovery: 16 January 1998
  • Location: The Netherlands: On a boat at Jacob van Lennepkade, at the corner of Nicolaas Beetstraat in Amsterdam.
  • Sex: Female
  • Estimated year of birth: 1963-1973
  • Estimated age: Between 25 and 35 years old
  • Height: 162 cm
  • Skin tone: Light-skinned
  • Hair colour: Brown (possibly dyed)
  • Eye colour: Green
  • Clothing:
  • Tattoos, birth marks, scars: None
  • Jewellery: The victim wore gold-coloured earrings and two thin gold-coloured necklaces. One necklace had a small gold-coloured heart-shaped pendant.

The case​

In January 1998, a fire broke out on a small houseboat at Jacob van Lennepkade in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. After the fire, the body of a woman was found in the houseboat. Investigations revealed that the woman had been living under a false name and her true identity was never discovered. It also never became clear whether the fire was an accident, or whether the woman had been killed.

Characteristics​

Based on photos of the victim and technical information, police experts made a drawing of the woman. It shows what she probably looked liked when she was still alive. The woman had eczema, and many warts around both knees. She did not have any tattoos or noticeable scars.

The woman was known as Karen or Catherine, but it is not known if this was her true name. The investigation did not reveal her true identity.

Contact
If you have any information regarding the possible identity of this person, please contact the Dutch national police via the form below.

You can also contact them and view this case on their national police website.





Thought that maybe she could be English. Listen to Forensic scientist Carina Van Leeuwen's interview from 39:40. Her boyfriend in Netherlands said that she told him she was born in Bombay and that she had an English father and a German mother.
Interesting she had a boyfriend. I wonder if I'm correct that even if there was a person close to her, this did't lead to a resolution of her identity. The question is of course what did she mean with Bombay (if this is true)? Bombay, India (since 1995 Mumbai) or f.i. Bombay in Scotland, or several other places in different countries with that name?
 
A fire broke out on a houseboat on the Jacob van Lennepkade in Amsterdam in January 1998. After the fire, the body of a woman is found on the boat. Investigation shows that the woman was living under a false identity. Her real identity has never been clarified. It was also never clear whether the cause of the fire was an accident or whether the woman died as a result of a crime.

The woman had eczema and had many warts around both knees. She had no noticeable scars or tattoos.
The woman was known as Karen or Catherine, but it is unclear whether this is her real name. Research has not led to her actual identity.

Found: 16-01-1998
Deceased: same day
Sex: Woman
Presumed year of birth: 1963-1973
Probable age: Between 25 and 35 years old
Length: 1.62 m.
Skin color: Light skin color
Hair colour: Brown (possibly painted)
Eye color: Green
Jewellery: The victim wore gold-colored earrings and two gold-colored thin chains. A gold-colored heart-shaped charm hung from one chain.

Post mortem via link (not graphic)
 

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I'm assuming 'painted' hair means coloured/dyed?
her hair looks more auburn than brown to me or brown with red highlights and definitely looks coloured/dyed
 
Some possibilities, mostly based on looks:

Eva Brennan
July 25, 1993
Ireland
30YO
5'7
Slim build
Short mid brown hair

Ines Heider
January 4 1990
Germany
26YO
+/- 1m70
+/-52 kg
Dark brown hair

Anna Agnes Maria Neeft
(a lot of the same features but she would be 10 years older)
August 1982
Brussels/England
28YO
1m65
Blonde hair
 

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