The Antwerp Jury Court has handed down prison sentences to four men accused of killing Linda, a 46-year-old sex worker, in her home in the Bischopshof district. The victim’s body was cut into pieces and discarded in several locations. The case, which shocked Belgian public opinion, ended with sentences of up to 30 years in prison.

(Staff: Belgium / Justice & Crime)

A case involving extreme violence came to an end on Thursday before the Antwerp Jury Court. Four men were sentenced to prison for the murder and dismemberment of Linda, a 46-year-old sex worker whose disappearance was reported in June 2024. The investigation revealed a macabre scenario: the woman was killed in her own home in the Bischopshof district, and her body was cut into pieces and discarded in several locations in an attempt to conceal the crime.

How did the murder unfold?

According to the indictment, Linda was killed in her home on the night of June 24–25, 2024. One of the convicted men, a 39-year-old client, admitted killing her but claimed that he had acted in self-defence. The other three men – an 18-year-old and two 20-year-olds – helped dismember the body and conceal the evidence.

After the killing, the four men cut the body into pieces with a saw, placed them in garbage bags and discarded them at several locations in Antwerp and the surrounding area. The investigation lasted two years, and some of the victim’s remains were found at various locations, including a canal and a forest.

The sentences

The judges and jurors handed down the following sentences:

• The 39-year-old client was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder and desecration of a corpse.
• The two 20-year-olds each received 10 years in prison for complicity in murder and desecration of a corpse.
• The 18-year-old was sentenced to 5 years in prison for participating in the desecration of the corpse.

The lawyers’ reactions

The defence lawyer said the court’s decision was “severe but fair”, while the victim’s family lawyer welcomed the verdict, stressing that “justice has been done for Linda”. The prosecution had sought maximum sentences, and the court took into account the high degree of violence involved in the crime and the way the body was concealed.

Conclusion

Linda’s case has once again drawn public attention to the safety of sex workers and the extreme violence that can occur in this sector. Although the sentences have now been handed down, questions remain about the exact circumstances of the crime and the motives of the four convicted men. The victim’s relatives and friends said they felt “relieved” that justice had been done, but that the pain of the loss would remain forever.