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Serial killers are possibly the most terrifying genre of true crime, but once they are caught and convicted it's all over, right? Not this time.
During the 80’s and 90’s Marc Dutroux terrorized the country of Belgium where he claimed 11 known victims. All of which were young girls who were snatched up by Dutroux and his accomplices in broad daylight.
Le Monstre, one of iHeartMedia's newest true crime podcast, lays out the pieces to the heinous crimes committed by a man who was caught, convicted, and released on parole after only serving three-years. It’s no surprise what happens next, more children go missing, the police are too slow to respond, and the country is almost torn apart as more bodies are discovered.
The first three episodes are out now, each around a half hour each, and puts listeners in the shoes of an average Belgian citizen trying to make sense of the violence.
“Empty Box [1]” tells the story of two 8-year-old girls, Julie Lejeune and Melissa Russo, who went missing in the province of Liege in Belgium on June 24, 1995. Despite a sluggish police response, their parents quickly mobilized a search. At the time, no one knew that this was just the beginning of a series of events that would upend the country.
Less than 2 months after the disappearance of Julie and Melissa, two more girls go missing after attending a magic show. “Disappearing Act [2]” tells the story of 17-year-old An Marchal and 18-year-old Eefje Lambrecks who were last seen in the coastal town of Ostend. Police again are slow with their response and no connection was made between the disappearances.
After 9 months with no answers, hysteria grips the country of Belgium as two more girls go missing during the Summer of 1996, 12-year-old Sabine Dardenne and 14-year-old Laëtitia Delhez. Six young girls have disappeared without a trace within a year. A wily prosecutor begins to mobilize efforts and make progress as the police finally catch a break. Listen to the latest episode “Summer of ‘96 [3]” on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe to Le Monstre as it continues to tell the story of the killer that brought the country of Belgium to the brink of civil war.
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