Over the next sixteen years, the case grew cold and her family was frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation into her murder. Eventually, her stepbrother would make a controversial move that finally led to an arrest. RELATED: 28-Year-Old Criminology Student Bryan Kohberger Arrested In Connection With The Idaho Murders
Who killed Nicole Van Den Hurk?
Nicole, who was born in Germany but raised in The Netherlands by her stepfather after her mother lost custody and died shortly before her disappearance, was found dead on November 22. Passerbys found Nicole in a wooded area near her grandmother’s home — from where she left before her disappearance. An autopsy revealed that Nicole had been sexually assaulted and murdered. She had internal bleeding from stab wound, two fractures of her jaw, and injuries to her head, fingers and ribcage. Initially, police suspected Nicole’s stepfather, Ad Van Den Hurk, and her stepbrother, Andy, of the brutal killing. After arresting both of them, they found no evidence and eventually cleared both men of any involvement. At the time of Nicole’s disappearance and murder, DNA was in its infancy, so the technology could not identify the foreign profile found on her body. In 2004, a team of cold case detectives revisited the case but were unable to make any progress, causing Nicole’s killing to fall by the wayside, once again. RELATED: The Night I Slept With A Murderer
Andy Van Den Hurk falsely confesse in order to catch Nicole’s killer.
Between 2004 and 2011, there was no new developments in the case, but in 2011, Andy Van Den Hurk shocked his Facebook friends with a cryptic post. In that since-deleted post, he said, “I will be arrested today for the murder of my sister, I confessed [and] will get in contact soon.” On March 8, 2011, 16 years after his stepsister’s death, Andy was arrested for her murder. But guilt wasn’t the catalyst for his confession. Andy believed his own father had killed Nicole and wanted to move the case forward. Back then, he was quoted as saying, “I wanted to get her exhumed and the DNA off her, so I kind of set myself up, and it could have gone horribly wrong.” Andy continued, “To get her exhumed I had to put steps in place to get her exhumed. I went to the police and said I did it.” Despite his confession, the police had no evidence to back up his guilty claims and were forced to release him five days later. RELATED: Sister Of ‘Hoodie Guy’ Seen With Idaho Victims Responds To Harassment From Online Sleuths Accusing Him Of Murder
Police set out to confirm Andy’s guilt but found a new suspect in the process.
The police, who had already suspected Andy and his father in Nicole’s death exhumed her body in September 2011 and collected new DNA samples. Only a week passed before they announced that they were able to recover foreign DNA from Nicole’s body. This prompted citizens to call in over twenty leads per day. On further examination, it was determined that three different men’s DNA profile’s had been found on Nicole’s remains. One belonged to her boyfriend, the other to an unknown male, and the third to a man — the man now convicted of her murder.
Nicole Van Hurk’s killer was identified as Jos De G.
It was reported that the 46-year-old had fought with his girlfriend on the night Nicole was taken and left the house angry. That was just a few hours before the teenager disappeared. At trial, Jos De G’s lawyer tried to place doubt about his guilt in the minds of the jury. He disputed the DNA findings, offering that Nicole’s ex-boyfriend should be a suspect due to the presence of his bodily fluids. The lawyer also claimed that Nicole might have had consensual sex with multiple people, including the suspect and an unknown male around the time of her death. He even asserted that she could have been pregnant when she died. Regardless of his attorney’s rebuttals, Jos De G was found guilty and first sentenced to five years. But he appealed the case and was re-sentenced to twelve years for rape and manslaughter.
After finding justice, Andy Van Hurk met a tragic end.
Since falsely confessing to his sister’s murder, a peek at Andy’s Facebook profile shows a life filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Andy details the goings on in his life, sharing all parts of himself with the public. In a tragic turn, Andy’s last post was on August 27, 2021 where he said, “I’m ready to say goodbye. The pills will do the rest. X.”
His page has been switched to a “Remembering Andy Van Den Hurk” profile, an indication that he did, in fact, take his own life. Andy was dealt a bad hand in life. He lost his sister under violent circumstances. He spent years suspecting his own father, and finally, put his life on the line to get justice for Nicole. Despite all of his trials and tribulations, Andy Van Der Hurk is a hero. He selflessly put his own interests on the backburner and got closure for his beloved sister. If you, or anyone you know if struggling with coping with life, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can help. You don’t have to figure this out alone. RELATED: Bodies Of Missing Men Keep Being Pulled From Chicago Waterways, Prompting Fears Of A Serial Killer NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.
