Wednesday evening, March 12, 2003 at five past eleven a BMW is on fire in the Daniken nature reserve near the field road Duister Gatsken in Sittard-Geleen. When the fire department arrives, they manage with great difficulty to pry open the trunk. In it lies the half-burnt body of a man who is identified not long afterwards as Ger Douven from Schinveld. Although, at first glance, there is every reason to think that this is a criminal killing - Ger has a suspended prison sentence for drug trafficking - it is clear from the outset that the motive lies in the relational sphere.
The car in which the victim is found is registered in the name of Margo M. (46), manager of a cafe in Maastricht. Even before the police reported to her the next day, she herself had called. There was a report in the newspaper about a dead body in a burned-out car; she had gotten a certain feeling about that. Ger had been with her the previous day, he had said he had an appointment with his ex Rhonda who had to pay him back 30,000 euros. Rhonda had started a relationship with Ger Douven in 1992. She was 15, he 41. They had two children. In 2002 Ger was in prison for drug trafficking. He maintained contact with Rhonda, but also with two other women: inmate junkie Karin de J. and cafe owner Margo M. from Maastricht. In December 2002, Ger accidentally sent a love letter intended for Karin to Rhonda. For Rhonda a good reason to end an already not so fresh relationship. For now, however, she continues to live in their house on Pastoor Greijmanstraat in Schinveld. A very simple family home, but financially Rhonda lacks nothing: Ger always has money. When Rhonda decides to break up with him in December, she senses that he will not let her go without a fight and that she will have to abandon her life of luxury.
