Investigators in 1994 disappearance of Annie De Poortere stage reconstruction

Thirty years after the disappearance of Annie De Poortere, a reconstruction of events took place on Wednesday morning in Sint-Martens-Latem, East Flanders. The remains of the 48-year-old were found earlier this year.

De Poortere's 78-year-old husband, identified as HD, declined to cooperate. His absence has limited the significance of the reconstruction, leaving crucial questions unanswered. The process lasted just an hour.

“It was very painful for my client,” said Jef Vermassen, the lawyer representing De Poortere's sister. “The suspect was not present, and neither was his lawyer. Annoying because we could not ask him any questions, and we had to work with a stand-in,” he said.

"My client was able to say goodbye to her sister today at the place where she had been buried for 30 years.”

He added that they had attempted to verify whether HD’s statements matched the scene, but he was unable to comment on the details as he had not yet had access to the full case file.

^{© BELGA VIDEO NICHOLAS DE COCKER}

With the statute of limitations for crimes punishable by life imprisonment recently extended from 20 to 30 years, the court has until 12 November to refer the case for trial. The public prosecutor expressed the urgency of the investigation, saying: “Investigators are doing everything in their power to guarantee an investigation as quickly as possible.”

Unanswered questions

The case surrounding the death of De Poortere in 1994 has resurfaced after nearly three decades of unanswered questions. In April this year, human remains were discovered in a garden adjacent to the house where she and her husband lived at the time of her disappearance.

Her husband, who has always claimed to have found his wife dead when he returned home, is the central suspect in the case, though he maintains his innocence.

Following the discovery, HD was arrested and extensively questioned. According to the victim’s relatives, he admitted hiding the body but denied responsibility for her death. He was charged with murder and placed under electronic surveillance. He was released by the investigating judge at the end of May, although he remains the prime suspect. His defence argues that the statue of limitations in the case has expired.

“My client was able to say goodbye to her sister today at the place where she had been buried for 30 years"

The autopsy was inconclusive, leaving the cause of death undetermined. Investigators and the victim’s family had hoped that the reconstruction might shed new light on the circumstances of her death. As HD’s statement is central to the case and there are no other witnesses to challenge his account, his cooperation was deemed crucial.

Lisa De Wilde, spokesperson for the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office, outlined the purpose of the technical reconstruction. “They check whether the suspect’s statements in the file corresponded with reality. They are tested at the scene of the facts, and from there, the file can be continued.”

De Wilde said it was unusual for the suspect not to be present but the reconstruction could still be valuable for the investigation.

^{#FlandersNewsService | A reconstruction in the case of the 1994 death of Annie De Poortere in Sint-Martens-Latem, East Flander © BELGA PHOTO NICHOLAS DE COCKER}