Full Name: Jane Doe

Alternative Name: Woman with the Belgian Connection

Case Status: Unidentified

Record ID#: 0268

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: 1947 – 1992
Birthplace:
Age at the Time: 20 to 65 years old
Age Group: 20s – 60s
Biological Sex: Female
Hair:
Eyes:
Skin Complexion:
Shoe Size: Woman's EU Size 34 or 35 (small shoes for her size)
Ethnicity:
Nationality:
Languages Spoken:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Physical Build: Average, Stocky

Height:

Weight

Distinguishing Marks:

• Dental Work

Medical Condition:
Physical Abnormality:
Dental Condition: Her teeth had amalgam fillings which means she had received high-quality dental care.
Scars & Other Marks:
Piercings:
Tattoos:

Other Descriptors: She was approximately 170 cm tall, of normal or stocky build, and she probably had large breasts and noticeably small feet, European shoe size 34 or 35. She was an adult, but her age was difficult to determine. Based on her skull, a facial reconstruction was made, but this can only be an indication of how she may have looked. Her teeth had amalgam fillings which means she had received high-quality dental care.

Clothing

She was not wearing any clothing.

Possessions:

Several distinctive pieces of jewelry, though they were not particularly valuable.

• A silver ring stamped with the French brand Clio Blue, size 58. The ring features a small fish pendant set with a pink stone and was worn on her right index finger.
• A stainless steel ring with a small stone, worn on her right middle finger.
• A silver-coloured Japanese Q&Q quartz wristwatch worn on the woman’s left wrist. The watch is decorated with small stones around the dial (product number GQ20J204Y). According to the manufacturer, this model was uncommon and not sold in the Netherlands. Only about 1,400 units were sold worldwide, mainly in Eastern European countries, with an estimated value of €30–€50.
• A silver-coloured tongue piercing
• A stainless steel necklace engraved on the back with the letters “SL” and two small arrows. The engraving may represent a brand, personal initials, or another symbolic meaning.

Date of the Disappearance*:

Description: Unknown

Multiple Victims?: No

Rumored or Actual Sightings:

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

Date the Body was Recovered: January 6, 2013

Description: The body of an unidentified woman was found on January 6, 2013, along the overgrown banks of Pietersplas lake, also known locally as Grindgat Oost-Maarland. The remote body of water, straddling the border between Belgium and the Netherlands near the historic city of Maastricht, is fed by the Meuse River (known as the Maas in Dutch), which winds through both countries. Authorities believe the woman’s remains likely originated upstream in the river, possibly near Liège in Belgium or even further south, before being carried by currents to the lake’s shore.

The passerby who stumbled upon the scene reported the body amidst a scattering of random debris that had washed up, suggesting it had been adrift for an extended period. According to police reports, the woman was not wearing any clothing, and the advanced state of decomposition made it impossible to determine an exact cause of death. Forensic experts estimated she had been in the water for several weeks or months, leading investigators to treat the case as suspicious, with potential foul play not ruled out.

A significant breakthrough came from DNA testing, which matched a blood sample from the woman to evidence in an unrelated Belgian police investigation. While this link did not reveal her identity, it strongly suggested she had resided or spent time in Belgium prior to her death. Despite this, authorities have not dismissed the possibility that she originated from elsewhere in Europe or beyond, given the river’s international path.

The case has been featured on international databases for unidentified persons, including Interpol’s Black Notice system and the Doe Network, in hopes of generating leads. Dutch and Belgian police collaborated on the investigation, conducting extensive searches along the Meuse River and appealing to the public for information. No missing persons reports from the time matched her description, and efforts to reconstruct her face through forensic artistry have been attempted, though with limited success due to the remains’ condition.

Time of Death: Unknown but she appeared to have been in the water a long time

Cause of Death: Exact cause of death could not be determined

Recovered Remains (if partial): Based on her skull, a facial reconstruction was made, but this can only be an indication of how she may have looked

Suspected Homicide?: Yes

Multiple Victims?: No

DNA Tested (No Match): There was a match on her DNA against a blood sample from a Belgian police investigation. This did not lead to an identification of the woman, but it is an indication that she stayed or lived in Belgium before her death.

*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

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License Plate:

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