The convicted in-laws of the murdered Jan Elzinga and their 58-year-old arms supplier Johan L. from Kampen are today before the court in Leeuwarden. The four were sentenced to twenty years in prison just before Christmas by the court in Groningen. The resident of Kampen must serve seven years. All appealed against this.
The case has not yet been dealt with substantively. It concerns a pre-trial hearing, at which investigative wishes, such as the hearing of witnesses, can be submitted.
Elzinga was shot dead in July 2012 in front of the swimming pool gate in Marum. According to the court in Groningen, the murder of eleven years ago was planned by the then girlfriend Monique H. (43), her brother Marcel H. (41) and their mother Coby van der L. (62). Johan L. was not interested in carrying out the murder at the time. He wanted to provide a weapon.
Via L. his fellow townsman Willem P. came into the picture. P. and his acquaintance Pascal E. from Zwolle eventually carried out the murder plan. The Zwolle resident pulled the trigger, on the initiative of P. Both were arrested almost immediately after the murder. The resident of Zwolle fully confessed, P. kept his mouth shut. The shooter was sentenced to 15 years in prison. His client twenty years in prison.
In 2019, P. still opened a book in exchange for a reduced sentence. Based on his new statements, the police arrested the in-laws and the resident of Kampen in July 2021. Monique now lived in Hollandscheveld, her brother in Nieuw-Roden and their mother in Roden. All deny to this day. Only L. acknowledged having supplied the weapon, but he told the judge not to have the murder committed.
The court in Groningen spoke of a cold liquidation in broad daylight in Marum. The family’s plan led to Elzinga’s death, the judge said in December. A shocking case that has caused great and irreparable suffering. Although questionable statements were made by witnesses and the key witness Willem P. supported his statements with forged text messages, the court said there was sufficient evidence to convict the four.
Extensive research was done into this foursome during the eight-day trial in Groningen. Elzinga was killed for 30,000 euros, the court concluded. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) feels lied to by key witness P. and announced in May that it would prosecute the man for perjury. Whether the man has now been detained, nothing has been reported for security reasons, an OM spokesperson said when asked.