The Lowest Crime
A European true crime podcast about cases that happened in the Netherlands.
The Lowest Crime
Ichelle van de Velde: a Tragic story of Love, Jealousy and Murder.
In this episode, we delve into the tragic and chilling case of Ichelle van de Velde, a murder that shocked her community. Not only was the crime itself heart-wrenching, but the gruesome manner in which the perpetrator disposed of her body left everyone reeling. Join me as we explore crucial moments—from the alarming signs her family noticed to the harrowing discovery of her remains. This episode sheds light on the impact of such tragedies and the quest for justice
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Hi and welcome back to the Lowest Crime, a podcast all about true crime cases from the Netherlands. My name is Eline and today we're diving into the life and the tragic murder of Ixelle van de Velde, a story of how what started out as a friendship turned into a deadly relationship. Before we start, please be advised that today's episode contains details of violence and dismemberment that some listeners may find disturbing, and, although I try my very best to bring you all the known facts, I am just an amateur podcast creator, so there is always a chance of me making a mistake, so let's dive in. Always a chance of me making a mistake, so let's dive in. Iselle van de Velde was a 29-year-old business owner living in the small town of Oostburg in Zeeland, a town where everyone knows everyone. Born prematurely at just 25 weeks, ixchelle, already at that age, showed everyone who she was by defying the odds and becoming a tall, strong and, most of all, talented young woman. Ixchelle received her first small sewing machine at the age of three, sparking a lifelong passion for sewing. This passion led her to open up her own sewing shop, pins and Needles, in the heart of Oostburg in 2017.
Speaker 1:Her friends and family described her as introverted and creative, always choosing deep, meaningful relationships over the superficial ones. She was known for her commitment to her work and her loyalty to those she cared about. Her friends, bianca and Jacqueline, said that she was always there for them, no matter the situation. Bianca said that they would call each other up to seven times a day, saying we would call each other about the smallest, most ridiculous things. This close-knit communication was a cornerstone of Ixchela's relationships. Something that also characterized her was that she would always use WhatsApp or call rather than sending a text message, and that's exactly why, on December 15th 2020, when Ixchela's mother and friends received a text message stating that she was going away with a friend, this raised immediate red flags. Both Miranda, ixchela's mother, and Bianca found this highly uncharacteristic. First of all, ixchela would never text, and then she would always mention specific names when talking about someone. Making a vague with-a-friend statement was nothing like Ixchela. Friends and family answered the text, but got a few vague responses to their questions, but the messages they received sounded nothing like Ixchela.
Speaker 1:Ixchela's disappearance was abrupt and out of character. She had a shop full of clothing that needed mending and altering. It just didn't make sense for her to leave right now. Her last known communication had been on the phone with her mother, where she seemed off and distracted. Later that day, family reported her missing after she failed to show up for a promised visit to help decorate her grandmother's house for Christmas.
Speaker 1:The initial shock of Ixchela's disappearance led to an intense and desperate search by her family and friends. They stood outside her house for days and nights hoping to see any sign of change or a clue about her whereabouts. The uncertainty was agonizing, and the sight of the police in forensic gear only intensified their worry. They could no longer hold on to hope that maybe, just maybe, things would turn out alright. They knew this is really really serious. As days turned into weeks, the search became more desperate. They were determined to find out who this mysterious friend was mentioned in the text message. Friends and family members combed through social media, scrutinizing every contact and physically searching areas Ixchela frequently visited, areas Ixchela frequently visited. They were relentless in their efforts, but their endless searches, often in the winter cold, were becoming exhausting, especially when their efforts kept coming up empty.
Speaker 1:And then, on February 9th, the case took a significant turn. Sandra H, a business owner in her 40s and a mother of nine children, was arrested after the police found substantial evidence of foul play in her shop that was located on the same street as Ixchela's. Despite her seemingly unassuming appearance and quiet demeanor, sandra's actions would later reveal a much darker side. Demeanour Sandra's actions would later reveal a much darker side. Her relationship with Ixchela and the subsequent events led to one of the most harrowing criminal cases in recent history. The sight of police sealing off the area with red and white tape and forensic teams swarming the scene was a harrowing confirmation that the worst fear of Ixchela's loved ones was being realized, especially after the police informed them that, although they did not find Ixchela yet, the chances of her still being alive after what they found in the shop were close to zero. Hidden beneath a table leg in Sandra's shop, the police found a bloodstain, confirming that Ixchela had been injured there, and, tragically, a bloodhound brought onto the scene detected the scent of human remains, solidifying the theory that Ixchela had been murdered there.
Speaker 1:The grim reality started to set in. They were no longer searching for a missing person, they were looking for her body. It was later revealed that Ixchela's lifeless body stayed in the shop for quite a long time before Sandra decided to dispose of the body, and the devastating truth is that at some point, ixchela's brother and mother came to check with Sandra if she knew where Ixchela was, and at that point, ixchela was just a few meters away, lying in a fitting room behind a stack of boxes in Sandra H's store. Using the GPS data from Sandra H's car, the police focused their search on specific areas.
Speaker 1:On February 15th 2021, ixchela's family got the devastating news that Ixchela's lifeless body had been found. But to make things even worse, they did not find all of her body. To make things even worse, they did not find all of her body. On that day, police divers had made a grim discovery Ixchela's torso in a canal near Aardenburg, close to Oostburg. Then, on March 4th 2021, more body parts, including her legs, were discovered from the same canal. The search persisted for Ixchela's remaining body parts. The family could not bear the thought of leaving part of Ixchela behind. Luckily, on March 19th 2021, a specialized search dog team, signe Search Dogs, located the final body part in the canal her right arm. Finding the last piece of Ixchela brought a bittersweet sense of relief to her family and friends, as it allowed them to finally bring her home and provided a small measure of closure. The search was finally over.
Speaker 1:The investigation into Ixchela's murder was meticulous. As forensic teams examined the crime scene, they discovered that Sanda had gone to great lengths to cover up her tracks. Digital forensic experts analyzed the messages sent from Ixchela's phone and noted discrepancies in the language and punctuation used, details that didn't match Ixchela's typical texting style. Some of the words in these messages didn't make sense to Ixchela's friends and family either, until somebody noted if you pronounce it in a Flemish way, it does make sense, further implicating Sandra, who had Flemish roots. The discovery of GPS data from Sandra's car further incriminated her. It showed trips to a Belgian hardware store where Sandra had purchased a reciprocating saw, plastic bags, tape and other items that matched the materials used to dismember and dispose of Ixchela's body. Additionally, the GPS data revealed multiple trips to remote locations near canals and wooded areas, where the police ended up finding Ixchela's body. Near canals and wooded areas where the police ended up finding Ixchela's body.
Speaker 1:On November 8th 2022, nearly 693 days after Ixchela's disappearance, sandra finally faced justice In the courtroom. The atmosphere was tense. It was filled with Ixchela's family and friends, along with media from both the Netherlands and Belgium. Sandra, a small, frail woman, appeared nervous as she entered the room, clutching a handkerchief and inhaler, looking significantly older than her 46 years. During the court proceedings, it became evident that there had been a complicated personal relationship between Sandra H, her husband Felix, and Ixchela. Ixchela and Sandra had become friends, with their shops being so close together, but the initial friendship turned complicated when Sandra suggested a trio involving Felix and Ixchela, which Ixchela agreed to. However, the relationship became problematic when Felix developed feelings for Ixchela, leading to tension and ultimately contributing to the circumstances surrounding Ixchela's murder.
Speaker 1:Sandra testified on April 14th 2022, that on the morning of December 15th 2020, she and Ixchela were sitting in the kitchen at the back of her shop talking for hours. At some point, ixchela became irritated and pushed Sandra, causing her to fall and break her pinky finger. In response, sandra claimed she impulsively pushed Ixchela back when Ixchela turned away, which caused her to hit her head on a sharp corner of the radiator. According to Sandra, this made Ixchela lose consciousness. Sandra then turned Ixchela over, held her on her lap and strangled her until she stopped breathing. Sandra recounted her state of mind, saying I couldn't think straight anymore. Everything went black before my eyes. I panicked. She claimed that she hadn't been angry with Ixchela, despite their complicated relationship. She actually stated that she had only wanted to protect Ixchela from Felix's manipulative behavior. Wanted to protect Ixchela from Felix's manipulative behavior.
Speaker 1:Sandra's defense tried to argue that the murder was not premeditated, but the evidence was overwhelming. However, the prosecution had a different theory. They argued that Sandra had called Ixchela into her shop that morning and gained access to Ixchela's WhatsApp messages. The prosecutor suggested that Sandra had tried to incapacitate Ixchela by hitting her on the right eye with a blunt object. Then, possibly before 10.29am, sandra tied Ixchela to a chair in the kitchen with a blanket. At 1.01pm, sandra filmed Ixchel unlocking her phone, indicating she was already restrained.
Speaker 1:The prosecution believed that the strangulation happened between 1.50pm and 2.52pm. The court, however, found issues with the prosecution's theory. The case relied on the idea that Sandra was smaller and lighter than Ixchela and she would have needed to tie up Ixchela to be able to strangle her, but the court noted that there wasn't enough evidence to prove Ixchela was tied up at all. A video filmed at 1.01pm showed Ixchela moving freely to unlock her phone with no sign of a blanket restraining her. This contradicted the prosecutor's theory. Since the idea of premeditation was based on Ixchela being tied up and unable to defend herself, the court dismissed the prosecution's scenario as it was being based on assumptions that weren't supported by evidence.
Speaker 1:Despite these claims, the prosecution presented a strong case against Sandra. They argued that her actions were deliberate and premeditated, highlighting the calculated steps she took to cover up the crime. This included sending misleading messages from Ixchela's phone and buying tools to dismember her body. But the most damning piece of evidence was the testimony from Sandra's son, who described how his mother had asked him to move a heavy, foul-smelling package, not realizing at the time that it contained Ixchela's remains. This testimony, combined with the forensic evidence and Sandra's inconsistent statements, painted a clear picture of her guilt.
Speaker 1:There was also a clear motive behind the murder. The judge stated that the evidence clearly showed that Sandra's feelings of betrayal and jealousy drove her to commit this heinous act. Miranda, ixchela's mother, made a powerful, heart-wrenching statement to Sandra in court, saying you, sandra, you murdered my daughter, my flesh and blood. And why? Because she didn't want to choose you. The emotional toll was evident, as family members described the impact of Michelle's murder on their lives.
Speaker 1:On November 30th, 2022, the court delivered its verdict. 2022, the court delivered its verdict. The judge stated Through deliberate and calculated actions, sandra H took the life of Ixchelle van der Velde. This was not an act of impulse, but a cold and premeditated murder. Sandra showed very little emotion as the sentence was read, a stark contrast with the visible relief and sorrow of Ixchela's family. The court ultimately found Sandra guilty of murder, rejecting the defense's argument of a crime of passion. Sandra was sentenced to 18 years in prison, a sentence that reflected the premeditated nature of the crime and the profound impact it had had on Ixchela's loved ones. This case is a stark reminder of how jealousy and manipulation can lead to unimaginable tragedy. Ixchela van der Velde's life was lost, but the impact she had on the lives of her friends and family will remain forever. Thank you all so much for listening to this episode. Don't forget to follow the podcast and leave a review, and also follow the Lowest Crime on Instagram to get all images related to the case. I look forward to seeing you in the next one.
