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Nicky Verstappen Cold Case Murder Ends in Jail after 22 years · Murder Files Unsealed

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, welcome back for another deep dive.
• 0:03
  Speaker 2: Always exciting to be back.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: And this one is pretty heavy.
• 0:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah, this is a tough one.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Yeah. So today we're going to be looking at the
• 0:12
  Nicki ver Stappin case.
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: It's a case that I think really highlights, you know,
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  just how much forensic science has advanced, Yeah, and how
• 0:21
  those little details can really make or break a case.
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: Especially like in a cold case like this.
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, And this one involved a huge DNA effort.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: Huge.
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really fascinating.
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  Speaker 1: So for our listeners who maybe aren't familiar with this case, Gil,
• 0:35
  you give us a little bit of background.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, So we're going back to August of nineteen ninety eight. Okay,
• 0:40
  and eleven year old Nicki ver Stappin is attending a
• 0:43
  summer camp in the Netherlands.
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: Okay, idyllic summer camp kind.
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  Speaker 2: Of thing, right, exactly, like you know, beautiful countryside, should
• 0:49
  be a care free, fun time, right, And he vanishes,
• 0:52
  poof gone. Yeah, early one morning, around five thirty am.
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  He's last seen. And then no one can find him,
• 0:59
  and they find his shoes. We'll find his shoes by his.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: Tent, neatly placed near his tent. No signs of a struggle,
• 1:06
  no footprints leading away.
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like what happens?
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: It's really bizarre.
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: But to make it even more eerie, they find his
• 1:14
  pajama bottoms. Oh he inside out and backwards.
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: That's a detail that really stood out to investigators.
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: What kid is doing that?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it suggests that somebody redressed him, potentially after removing
• 1:27
  him from somewhere else.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, because why would you take the time to do that?
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: Exactly?
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: Unles you're trying it, like, I don't.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: Know, right, it's a very strange detail.
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: It's very strange. And also I read that the soles
• 1:37
  of his feet were clean.
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that was another thing that was really unusual.
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: Yeah, like if you'd wandered off in the woods, you'd.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: Expect to see some dirt or debris, but his feet
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  were very clean. So it's like, Okay, was he carried?
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  Was he transported?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah? How did he get there? And then tragically, the
• 1:52
  next evening his body is.
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  Speaker 1: Found Yeah, over a kilometer away from the camp.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so he's definitely been moved.
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  Speaker 1: Right, And this is where the mist really deepens because
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  there's no clear cause of death initially, oh wow, but
• 2:06
  there are signs of possible sexual abuse.
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  Speaker 2: Ugh, okay, so this is already so much to unpack, right,
• 2:12
  and on top of that, there were delays in getting
• 2:15
  a full post mortem examination. Oh no, why.
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  Speaker 1: I think there were some issues with the availability of
• 2:22
  medical examiners at the time.
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  Speaker 2: Oh so, just like a logistical thing.
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and that unfortunately hampered the investigation early on.
• 2:30
  Speaker 2: That's so frustrating because you know they need that information exactly.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: Time is of the essence in these cases, and those
• 2:37
  early delays really had a ripple effect.
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  Speaker 2: So they have this little boy's body, they know something
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  terrible has happened, right, but they don't know how he died.
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  And to make things even more frustrating, they do have
• 2:49
  DNA evidence at the scene.
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  Speaker 1: Do they find a tissue with semen and a discarded cigarette?
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  But so close, so close. But this is where we
• 2:57
  see the limitations of DNA technology.
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  Speaker 2: Back then, this is the late nineties.
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  Speaker 1: Exactly, DNA analysis primarily relied on direct matches.
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  Speaker 2: Right, so they're comparing it against their database exactly no
• 3:08
  matches at the time time for a while, So what
• 3:10
  do they do? They just have to sit on this information.
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: Well, they basically have to wait for technology to catch up.
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  So frustrating, and luckily it did.
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: Okay, so tell me more about that, because I know
• 3:20
  this case is famous for that.
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: Right. So as the years went by, this revolutionary technique
• 3:25
  called familial DNA searching emerged.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, I've heard this, but explain it to me
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  like I'm five, because I don't really get it.
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  Speaker 1: Oh. So, basically, imagine you have a DNA sample from
• 3:35
  a crime scene, but it doesn't match anyone in the
• 3:38
  existing databases.
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  Speaker 2: Okay.
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  Speaker 1: With familial DNA searching, you can compare that sample to
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  the DNA profiles in the database looking for partial matches. Okay,
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  that might indicate a familial link like a sibling, parent,
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  or even a distant cousin.
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  Speaker 2: So it's not an exact match, but it's like a
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  close enough match to say, hmm, this might be related precisely. Wow.
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  Speaker 1: And in the Nikki Verstaven case, this was huge.
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: So they were able to go back to that DNA
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  evidence exactly.
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  Speaker 1: In twenty ten, the Dutch law changed allowing for familial
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  DNA searching. Okay, and this opened up a whole new
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  avenue of investigation.
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  Speaker 2: So they're going back to that tissue sample and that
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  cigarette butt.
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  Speaker 1: Exactly and they launched this massive DNA dragnet.
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  Speaker 2: Oh wow, how massive are we talking.
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  Speaker 1: They appealed to the public, asking men who had been
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  in the vicinity of the summer camp at the time
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  to voluntarily provide DNA samples. Wow.
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  Speaker 2: So they're basically casting a wide net hoping to find
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  somebody related to the person who left that DNA exactly. Wow.
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  And how many people ended up giving.
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  Speaker 1: DNA over fourteen thousand men.
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  Speaker 2: Volunteered fourteen thousand.
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  Speaker 1: It was a huge effort.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, that's incredible. And they found something.
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  Speaker 1: They did after meticulous analysis, they found a partial DNA match.
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  Speaker 2: Okay. So they get this partial match, and who does
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  it lead to.
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  Speaker 1: It leads them to a man named Josbrick.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, and who is Jessbrick.
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  Speaker 1: He was a survivalist and kind of interestingly, he had
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  vanished earlier that year, shortly after Nicky's disappearance.
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  Speaker 2: Danish like he just went off the grid.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's very suspicious, very suspicious. Okay.
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  Speaker 2: So they've got this guy, they know he was in
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  the area, he's now disappeared, right, they have a DNA match,
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  even if it's partial. What happens next, Well, they have
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  to find him first, right, because he's vanished exactly.
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  Speaker 1: He had fled to Spain.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, so he's on the run.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, but thankfully a Dutch tourist recognized him from a
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  photo that had been circulated in the media.
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  Speaker 2: Oh wow, So like he was out and about in
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  Spain and somebody recognized him exactly.
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  Speaker 1: The tourist tipped off authorities and Brush was finally apprehended.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, so after twenty years, they finally have a suspect
• 5:40
  in custody. Right, but did he confess?
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  Speaker 1: Not quite. He offered a defense that was uh, what
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  was it? Well, let's just say it raised a lot
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  of eyebrows.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, spill the tea. I want to know what he said.
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  Speaker 1: He claimed that he had just stumbled upon Nicky's body
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  while he was out on a walk, and he tried
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  to help, tried to help, Okay, yeah, he said he
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  had straightened Nicky's clothes, but then panic and fled the.
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  Speaker 2: Scene street and his close I mean, come.
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  Speaker 1: On, it's a very hard story to believe.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and I imagine investigators were like, uh huh, sure.
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: Well, they found it highly improbable, especially considering that Bredg
• 6:11
  had a history of sexual offenses involving minors.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: Okay, so this stumbled upon the body defense. Did his
• 6:19
  past make people less likely to believe him?
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  Speaker 1: I think it definitely raised serious doubts. You see, in
• 6:24
  cases like this, a suspect's past behavior often becomes a
• 6:29
  key part of the narrative.
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  Speaker 2: Right, And you know, we always say we can't judge
• 6:32
  someone based on their past, but right, of course, it's
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  hard to ignore.
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  Speaker 1: It's hard to ignore, especially when their explanation of events
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  seems so implausible.
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  Speaker 2: Right, and fleeing the scene. I mean, if you find
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  a child's body, you're not just going to tidy up
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  and run.
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  Speaker 1: Away, exactly. Your first instinct is to call for help.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and then he flees to Spain.
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  Speaker 1: Right, that just adds another layer of suspicions.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it makes it seem like he was trying to
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  evade justice exactly. Can you imagine what Nicky's family was
• 6:57
  going through at this point.
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  Speaker 1: It must have been such a roller coaster of emotions
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  after twenty years of unanswered.
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  Speaker 2: Questions, finally they have a suspect. But it's still not over.
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  Speaker 1: No, the journey to justice was far from over.
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  Speaker 2: Before we get into the trial, can we talk a
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  bit more about Bretsch you mentioned he was a survivalist.
• 7:13
  What does that even mean.
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  Speaker 1: So survivalist is someone who actively prepares for emergencies or disasters.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, so like doomsday preppers kind of thing.
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  Speaker 1: Kind of. Yeah. They often acquire skills like wilderness navigation,
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  first aid, self sufficiency.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, so they're like really into being self reliance exactly.
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  Speaker 1: They often have a deep distrust of societal structures and
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  believe in being able to fend for themselves.
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  Speaker 2: So that explains why he was comfortable living off the.
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  Speaker 1: Grid, right, and some experts believe that this mindset may
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  have contributed to his ability to evade capture for so long.
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  Speaker 2: Right, he was familiar with remote areas, he knew how
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  to blend in exactly. So he was like a ghost basically,
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  no way. Yeah, it makes that tourists to even more incredible.
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  Speaker 1: It was a pivotal moment, a real needle in a
• 7:58
  haystack situation.
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  Speaker 2: It really shows the power of public awareness.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely, Sometimes even the most elusive individuals could be brought
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  to justice with the help of vigilant citizens.
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  Speaker 2: So they've got Bretch, they've got DNA evidence, a history
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  of offenses, and a suspects story. What happens next.
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  Speaker 1: Well, the case goes to trial and it was highly publicized.
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  Speaker 2: I bet the whole country was watching.
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  Speaker 1: Not pretty much. The prosecution presented a compelling case. They
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  emphasized the DNA evidence, Bruch's suspicious behavior, and his past defenses.
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  Speaker 2: And what about Breech's defense, what do they argue?
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  Speaker 1: His defense team maintained his innocence. Of course, they argued
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  that the DNA evidence was circumstantial and didn't prove he
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  had killed Nickki.
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  Speaker 2: Okay, so they're trying to poke holes in the prosecution's
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  case exactly.
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  Speaker 1: They claimed that the prosecution was relying on bridges past
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  to paint him as a.
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  Speaker 2: Monster, and that the evidence didn't support their narrative.
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  Speaker 1: Right, they were trying to create reasonable dabt.
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  Speaker 2: So what did the jury think? Did they buy it?
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  Speaker 1: The verdict was, Uh, it was complicated. Oh no, how
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  so the court acquitted Breeches manslaughter. What they accepted the
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  possibility that Nikki's death could have been unintentional, possibly from
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  being suffocated during abuse.
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  Speaker 2: So they're saying it could have been an accident in
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  a way.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, but they were very clear that Breech's actions led
• 9:17
  to Nicki's death.
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  Speaker 2: So acquitted of manslaughter, but they're saying he's still responsible.
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  Speaker 1: Right. He was found guilty of kidnapping and sexual abuse
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  charges directly linked to Nicki's death.
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  Speaker 2: Oh wow.
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  Speaker 1: He was sentenced to twelve and a half years in.
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  Speaker 2: Prison, which he appealed. Of course.
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  Speaker 1: Of course, I.
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  Speaker 2: Can't imagine how Nicki's family felt about that verdict.
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  Speaker 1: It must have been such a mix of emotions. Relief
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  that he was held accountable, but also disappointment that the
• 9:42
  crowhen of intent remained unanswered.
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  Speaker 2: Right, because was it an accident or was it something
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  more sinister?
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  Speaker 1: Exactly? And this case just had so many layers, so
• 9:51
  many interpretations of the evidence.
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  Speaker 2: And speaking of layers, the story doesn't end there.
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  Speaker 1: You're right. This case is a reminder that justice can
• 9:58
  be a long and winding row. In twenty twenty two,
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  the appeals court took another look at the evidence. Okay,
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  and they actually convicted Breach of manslaughter.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, so they overturned the original verdict.
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: They did. They saw his actions not as a tragic accident,
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  but as a deliberate act that led to Nicky's death.
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  Speaker 2: So just as prevailed, but it was delayed, Yes.
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  Speaker 1: And his sentence was increased to sixteen years.
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  Speaker 2: Wow, that's a long time. It's hard to imagine what
• 10:23
  those years of waiting must have been like for Nicky's family.
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: It must have been incredibly difficult.
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: But there's another piece to this story, right that kind
• 10:30
  of kept this case in the spotlight.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: Oh, you're talking about Peter Artevrez.
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, the legendary Dutch crime reporter. He was like a
• 10:37
  bulldog with this case.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: He was incredibly dedicated to keeping Nicki's story alive.
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  Speaker 2: He was more than just a reporter. He was an
• 10:43
  advocate for Nicky's family.
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, he wanted to make sure that the case never
• 10:47
  faded from public memory.
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  Speaker 2: And do you think that his involvement maybe helped push
• 10:52
  for those DNA advances.
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: It's certainly possible. He was known for his investigative work
• 10:57
  and his ability to put pressure on authorities.
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah, he wasn't a ready to ruffle some feathers.
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: Not at all. And I think his relentless pursuit of
• 11:04
  the truth definitely played a role in keeping this case
• 11:07
  in the spotlight.
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  Speaker 2: But sadly, his pursuit of justice came at a high cost.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, in a cruel twist of fate, he was assassinated
• 11:15
  in twenty twenty one.
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  Speaker 2: It was a huge shock.
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  Speaker 1: It was a reminder of the dangers that people like
• 11:20
  him face when they challenged the dark side of society.
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  Speaker 2: It's heartbreaking, you know. He dedicated his life to fighting
• 11:26
  for justice and then then.
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  Speaker 1: He becomes a victim himself.
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  Speaker 2: But even though he's gone, his legacy lives on.
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  Speaker 1: Absolutely. His work on this case and countless others shows
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  the power of investigative journalism and the importance of speaking
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  truth to power.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, he was a true champion for the voiceless.
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  Speaker 1: He was, and his work helped bring some closure to
• 11:46
  Nicki's family.
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  Speaker 2: It makes you wonder what would have happened if he
• 11:48
  hadn't been involved.
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  Speaker 1: It's hard to say, but I think his dedication was
• 11:53
  instrumental in keeping this case alive and ultimately getting justice
• 11:58
  for Nicki.
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  Speaker 2: So it's like this common of human determination and scientific
• 12:02
  progress that finally led to the truth.
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: It's a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of cases,
• 12:08
  hope and justice can prevail.
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  Speaker 2: And I think that's a good place to leave it
• 12:12
  for now.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, we've covered a lot of ground.
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: Today, we have, but this case it's not just about
• 12:16
  one boy's tragic fate.
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: Right, it raises so many questions about child safety and
• 12:21
  the need for vigilance.
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: And we'll be back after a quick break to delve
• 12:25
  into those questions and see what lessons we can learn
• 12:27
  from this tragedy. Okay, so we're back, and you know,
• 12:31
  we've talked about all the details of Nicky's case, but
• 12:34
  now I kind of want to look at the bigger picture.
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, what can we learn from this tragedy.
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: Well, I think one of the biggest takeaways is that,
• 12:41
  you know, predators can be anywhere.
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: We often think of summer camps as these safe havens.
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: For kids, right, idyllic, you know, exactly.
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: Yeah, but this case shows that even in those seemingly
• 12:52
  safe environments, children can be vulnerable.
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: It's a scary thought, right.
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's definitely unsettling.
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: So we can't just assume that kids are safe just
• 13:01
  because they're in a supervised setting.
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: Exactly. We need to be proactive, we need to be vigilant,
• 13:07
  and we need to constantly evaluate our safety measures.
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: And I think it's not just about physical safety, right, Oh,
• 13:12
  absolutely not. It's also about creating environments where kids feel
• 13:15
  empowered to speak up if something feels wrong.
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: You're absolutely right. We need to teach children about body safety,
• 13:21
  about appropriate boundaries, and about how to recognize and report
• 13:25
  any behavior that makes them feel uncomfortable.
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: And that goes for adults too.
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: Right, Oh, absolutely, we need to be educated as well.
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: We need to know the warning signs of grooming behavior.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: Right, those subtle ways that predators manipulate and gain trust.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: It's a collective responsibility, you know.
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, we all have a role to play in safeguarding children,
• 13:45
  whether we're parents, educators, community members, or just concerned citizens.
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: This case also really highlights the importance of forensic science
• 13:54
  and you know how far it's come, oh for sure.
• 13:57
  Imagine if they had had familial DNA searching back in
• 14:00
  nineteen ninety.
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: Eight, right, Nikki King family might not have had to
• 14:02
  wait twenty years for answers.
• 14:04
  Speaker 2: It's heartbreaking to think about, you know, it really is,
• 14:07
  and it makes you wonder how many other cold cases
• 14:09
  are out there just waiting for that one breakthrough.
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: I'm sure there are many, and it speaks to the
• 14:14
  dedication of those working in forensic science, constantly pushing the
• 14:17
  boundaries to bring justice.
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: So as we kind of wrap up our deep dive
• 14:21
  into Nikki's case, I keep thinking about how we can
• 14:25
  turn this tragedy into action.
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: I think that's a powerful way to look at it.
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: You know what concrete steps can we take to learn
• 14:32
  from this and create a safer world for kids?
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: Well, I think first and foremost, we need to keep
• 14:37
  talking about child safety.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: Right, make it a conversation, not a taboo subject.
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: Exactly. We need to educate ourselves, our children, and our
• 14:44
  communities about the risks, the warning signs, and the ways
• 14:48
  to prevent abuse.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: We need to empower kids to be their own advocates, right.
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: To trust their instincts and to know that they have
• 14:54
  the right to say no.
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: And we need to support those organizations that are dedicated
• 14:58
  to protecting children.
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: Yes, there are so many amazing groups out there working
• 15:03
  tirelessly to prevent abuse and support victims.
• 15:05
  Speaker 2: And we can't forget about open communication within family.
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: That's so important. Children need to know that they can
• 15:10
  talk to their parents or caregivers about anything without fear
• 15:13
  of judgment.
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: The NICKI for stap in case. It's a reminder that
• 15:17
  even in the darkest of times, there's always hope and
• 15:20
  there's always something we can do to make a difference.
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: I think that's a perfect way to sum it up.
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: So to our listeners, thank you for joining us on
• 15:27
  this deep dive into the Niki for stap in case.
• 15:30
  It's been a heavy one, but an important one.
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: It really has, and we hope that this conversation has
• 15:35
  encouraged you to think about how we can all work
• 15:38
  together to create a safer world for children.
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: And that's it for this episode of the Deep Dive.
• 15:43
  We'll see you next time.