July 28, 2025 • 16 mins
In this disturbing episode of The Lowest Crime, we investigate the chilling case of Michel Stokx — a convicted Dutch serial killer who preyed on children. His crimes in the late 1990s horrified the Netherlands and left lasting scars on the nation.
We dive into the timeline of events, the psychological profile of Stokx, the investigation that led to his arrest, and the legal and social aftermath of his actions.
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of crimes against children, including murder and abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Hi and welcome to The Lowest Crime, the podcast where we dive
into criminal cases from one of the lowest countries in the
world, the Netherlands. I'm Alina, and today's story is
one of the most disturbing casesin Dutch history.
Serial killers are rare in the Netherlands, but Michelle Stokes
is a dark and terrifying exception.
(00:23):
This is the story of a man who lived a double life, an ordinary
truck driver, a partner and father, and yet underneath the
surface, a predator of children,a serial killer.
Today we explore the story of Michelle Stocks and his victims.
Was he born a monster? Or did the cruelty, betrayal and
the neglect he suffered to turn him into one?
(00:45):
We look at warning signs ignored, systems that failed and
the lifes cut tragically short. Please be aware that today's
episode contains details of violence, assault and murder,
which some listeners will find disturbing.
Also, although I always try my very best to bring you all the
known facts, I am just an amateur podcast creator, so
(01:06):
there is always a chance of me making a mistake.
Without further ado, let's get into the story of Michelle
Stocks. Michelle Stocks was born on
January 17th, 1942 in Belgium, in a quiet small town near Kent.
(01:26):
At first his arrival brought joy.
His mother called him a bulk from a baby, a cloud of a baby.
But happiness in the Stock household was short lived.
Michelle's father was physicallypresent but emotionally absent.
He worked long days and drank away his nights.
His mother, overwhelmed by poverty and the struggles of
(01:47):
raising four children, grew coldand distant.
Affection was rare and punishment common.
From an early age, Michelle wandered the streets alone.
At school he struggled to fit in, and at home he felt
invisible. He cycled 7 kilometers to school
each day, rain or shine, as manyof us do in the Netherlands or
(02:08):
Belgium. But if because of that he
returned home late for dinner, his mother would send them back
outside without food, saying youmust not be hungry.
Then, on top of that came another life defying trauma.
At the age of 12, a neighbor caught him and some boys
comparing their genitals, a simple moment of childhood
(02:30):
curiosity. However, when his mother found
out, her reaction was brutal. She beat him with a stove poker
until his scalp split open. That night, Michelle ran away.
He slept in a junkyard, cold andafraid.
When found, child services intervened, but the damage was
already done. Child Protective Services placed
(02:53):
Michelle in Catholic institutions, places meant to
protect him, but behind the walls of the Panther's infant.
Instead of being protected from his unsafe home, he was sexually
abused by the priests there. When he tried to confess what
happened, they told him to pray harder.
There was no comfort, no protection, only shame.
(03:16):
Psychologists later said that these experiences shaped his
entire understanding of sex, power and love.
Abuse and control became intertwined in his mind.
By the age of 15, Michelle was acting out his pain.
He would molest younger children, seeking power where he
once felt powerless. He was arrested over and over. 8
(03:41):
convictions in Belgium for sexual offences against minors.
But nothing worked. Finds, probation and prison.
It all failed. In 1976, the Belgian authorities
gave up. They expelled him to the
Netherlands, his country of citizenship, where they thought
that he would no longer be theirproblem.
(04:02):
In Franekar, the Netherlands, Michelle tried to rebuild his
life. He started working as a truck
driver, married a woman named PDand had a daughter, Natasha.
But beneath the surface, his urges never stopped.
He offended again in 1980 and was sent to prison, then
sentenced to TBS forced psychiatric treatment at the
(04:23):
Vomesta clinic Ichronin. There he played the part of the
perfect patient. He smiled at the doctors, said
the right things and convinced them that he was ready for
release. In 1986.
They granted him supervised leave and then unsupervised.
During this time, 11 year old Cheryl Morian vanished without a
(04:45):
trace. Though suspicion fell on Stocks,
no evidence connected him to herdisappearance.
On June 22, 1989, Michelle Stocks was back behind the wheel
of his truck. This time he was hauling a load
of cherries through Germany. It was in the outskirts of
Paderborn that he crossed paths with 13 year old Marco Visor.
(05:11):
Marco was a boy like many others, inquisitive, friendly
and fascinated by the towering trucks and machinery on the open
Rd. When he approached Stocks to ask
about the truck, the conversation seemed harmless,
even kind. Stocks asked the boy if he
wanted to ride along with him inhis truck, and Marco agreed.
(05:32):
The two travelled nearly 400 kilometres together.
According to Stocks, he initially had no intention of
harming the boy. Marco appeared to be enjoying
his experience, and Stocks assumed that he may have run
away from home. After all, why would a child
willingly spend the entire day with a stranger?
He later said that he enjoyed the company.
(05:53):
It felt to him as though he had gained a companion.
When they arrived at the factorywhere Stocks was supposed to
unload his shipment of cherries,it turned out that they closed
for the weekend. With two days to wait.
He drove Marco to a rest area frequented by truckers spending
the night. No one seemed to question the
presence of a child with him. To others, Marco might have
(06:16):
looked like a nephew or even hisson.
Later that evening, after they had eaten, the two settled in
for the night in the cab of the truck.
It was then, in the confined space of the truck, that he
sexually assaulted the boy. The next morning, when Stox
wanted to repeat his actions, Marco refused, and something in
(06:36):
Stox's mind snapped. He was terrified the boy would
tell someone, and so he strangled him to death.
He drove for hours with Marco's lifeless body beside him before
dumping him along a forested roadside outside Paderborn.
Then he climbed back into his truck and kept driving.
(06:58):
A little over a year later, on August 15th, 1990, history
repeated itself. 9 year old Salim Tatil, a bright youthful
child, was playing outside near Nostadt when he crossed paths
with Michelle Stocks. A week earlier, Michelle Stocks
had damaged his truck by drivingunder a bridge that was too low
(07:20):
for clearance. Wanting to verify some details
about the incident, he returned to the scene.
While there, 9 year old Salim approached him to admire his new
Mercedes. At that moment, Stocks later
admitted he decided he wanted totake the boy.
He turned on the charm and persuaded Salim to get into the
(07:41):
car. Without hesitation, Stocks drove
directly to Luxembourg. He claimed that Salim initially
panicked but said that he managed to calm him down.
After the detour, Stocks drove the boy all the way back to his
home in AUSA. Once there, he took a shower
while Salim sat in the living room quietly reading a book.
(08:03):
When he was done, he suggested Salim take a shower as well,
which he did. While in the shower, Stock
sexually assaulted him. After the fact, Michelle claimed
he intended to let Salim go. He even said he planned to drop
him off in Amsterdam. But then, driving on the highway
near Leilistadt, a police car passed him and panic took over.
(08:26):
Afraid Salim would cry for help,afraid he'd be stopped, afraid
of losing his fragile freedom, Michelle pulled over and
strangled poor Salim. He left his body in a wooded
area and continued his route as though nothing had happened.
Michelle's final victim, 11 yearold Jessica Lavin, crossed paths
(08:49):
with stalks on a sunny day at a public swimming pool on July
27th, 1991 in Svak, the Netherlands.
She had lost the key to her bicycle lock and she was looking
for help. Michelle offered to assist.
He gained her trust and lured her into his apartment.
There, as before, the horrific pattern repeated itself.
(09:10):
Abuse, then murder. Jessica's body was found along
the A7 motorway, discarded by the side of the road.
The Netherlands was in shock. By now, the public was
terrified. Police across Germany and the
Netherlands collaborated on whatwould become one of the largest
child murder investigations in Dutch history.
(09:33):
Witnesses described a man in a truck, composite sketches
circulated nationwide and tips flooded in.
But the breakthrough came from Michelle's own profession.
Trucking logs, tachograph readings, and route records
placed him near the locations and times of each disappearance.
On October 20th, 1991, Michelle Stocks was arrested.
(09:59):
At first, he denied everything, but the evidence was
overwhelming. Fibers from Jessica's swimsuit
matched the upholstery of his truck, Saleem's DNA was found on
his clothing, and Marco's disappearance aligned perfectly
with his root. On November 26th, 1991, Stocks
finally confessed. Coldly, almost clinically.
(10:23):
He admitted to abducting, abusing, and murdering all three
children. But still he insisted that he
never intended to kill. According to him, the murders
were impulsive acts driven by panic, not premeditation.
The courtroom was packed when Michelle stood trial in 1992.
(10:44):
Journalists, grieving families, and curious citizens filled the
gallery. The crimes had horrified the
nation. Now the question remained, would
justice be served? The prosecution painted Stocks
as a dangerous individual beyondrehabilitation.
They described his murders as cold, opportunistic and entirely
(11:07):
preventable if the system had worked properly.
Painstaking descriptions of eachvictim's final moments silenced
the courtroom, and the air was heavy with disbelief and sorrow.
The defense, on the other hand, tried to explain Stocks's
actions through the lens of his horrific childhood.
They argued that he was the product of violence and abuse, a
(11:29):
man warped by trauma and failed by every institution meant to
help him. Psychiatrist testified that
Stock suffered from compulsive pedophilia and an inability to
cope with rejection or emotionalstress.
But they also warned his condition was incurable.
Without lifelong supervision, hewould always remain a threat,
(11:54):
the court ruled decisively. Michelle Stocks was sentenced to
20 years in prison and TBS and indefinite psychiatric
detention. He would never be released
unless doctors could provide absolute certainty that he would
no longer pose any danger. But that certainty would never
come. In prison, Michelle stocks lift
(12:17):
a quiet, isolated existence. Individuals convicted of crimes
against children are typically at the very bottom of the prison
hierarchy. So he spent most of his days
alone painting children's playgrounds, which, given the
history of his crimes, leaves a definite feeling of unease.
(12:38):
On September 25th, 2001, his life came to a sudden and
mysterious end. According to the official
report, Starks was working in a prison workshop.
He spilled turpentine on himselfand accidentally broke a light
bulb, causing a spark. In seconds, he was engulfed in
flames and died shortly after from his injuries.
(13:00):
But not everyone believed it wasan accident.
Some suspected suicide. There's whispering of revenge of
inmates or guards who wanted to punish him further for his
crimes. But whatever the true story may
be, on September 25th, 2001, Michelle Stocks died in prison.
(13:21):
But the story of Michelle Stocksdoesn't end there.
Although the three murders he was convicted of have been
solved, he still leaves behind questions.
Because the story doesn't end with the victims we know about,
there is another name forever tied to his legacy.
Natalie Heispertz. On February 26th, 1991, ten year
(13:43):
old Natalie disappeared while waiting for her school bus in
Leifdal, Belgium. She vanished without a trace in
broad daylight. Michelle Stocks quickly became
the prime suspect. He was, after all, active in the
area. Around that time, Belgian
investigators brought Stocks to Loven where they interrogated
(14:04):
him. For months.
Stocks denied knowing anything about Natalie, but the evidence
against him was strong. He had tampered with his trucks
tachograph to fabricate an alibi, claiming he was in France
when the girl vanished. But investigators discovered
that his fuel card had been usedmuch closer to the Belgian
border. Like with his other crimes, the
(14:27):
timelines, locations, and his behavior all fit.
Yet without a body or a confession, Belgian authorities
could not close the case. Then, in 2001, Stocks died in
prison, taking his secrets with him.
Belgian Commissioner Hilbert Hauben, who led the
investigation, remembered the moment he received the call that
(14:49):
Stocks had died. He had turned pale.
And I will never find her. To this day, Nathalie Heisberts
still remains missing. Many, including her mother, are
convinced Michelle Stocks was her killer, but the official
records remain incomplete. Another life lost in the shadows
(15:11):
of his crimes. This case truly raises the
question if monsters are born ormade.
Michelle Stocks had a terrible childhood, but then again so do
many others and they never turn to what he has done.
What do you guys think? Is his childhood to blame or is
it something that was inside himall along?
(15:33):
Let me know in the comments below.
But for now, that concludes today's story.
If you appreciated this episode,please leave a like and consider
subscribing. You can find any images related
to the case on the lowest crime Instagram account.
Thank you all so much for listening and I look forward to
seeing you in the next one.
Hi and welcome to The Lowest Crime, the podcast where we dive
into criminal cases from one of the lowest countries in the
world, the Netherlands. I'm Alina, and today's story is
one of the most disturbing casesin Dutch history.
Serial killers are rare in the Netherlands, but Michelle Stokes
is a dark and terrifying exception.
(00:23):
This is the story of a man who lived a double life, an ordinary
truck driver, a partner and father, and yet underneath the
surface, a predator of children,a serial killer.
Today we explore the story of Michelle Stocks and his victims.
Was he born a monster? Or did the cruelty, betrayal and
the neglect he suffered to turn him into one?
(00:45):
We look at warning signs ignored, systems that failed and
the lifes cut tragically short. Please be aware that today's
episode contains details of violence, assault and murder,
which some listeners will find disturbing.
Also, although I always try my very best to bring you all the
known facts, I am just an amateur podcast creator, so
(01:06):
there is always a chance of me making a mistake.
Without further ado, let's get into the story of Michelle
Stocks. Michelle Stocks was born on
January 17th, 1942 in Belgium, in a quiet small town near Kent.
(01:26):
At first his arrival brought joy.
His mother called him a bulk from a baby, a cloud of a baby.
But happiness in the Stock household was short lived.
Michelle's father was physicallypresent but emotionally absent.
He worked long days and drank away his nights.
His mother, overwhelmed by poverty and the struggles of
(01:47):
raising four children, grew coldand distant.
Affection was rare and punishment common.
From an early age, Michelle wandered the streets alone.
At school he struggled to fit in, and at home he felt
invisible. He cycled 7 kilometers to school
each day, rain or shine, as manyof us do in the Netherlands or
(02:08):
Belgium. But if because of that he
returned home late for dinner, his mother would send them back
outside without food, saying youmust not be hungry.
Then, on top of that came another life defying trauma.
At the age of 12, a neighbor caught him and some boys
comparing their genitals, a simple moment of childhood
(02:30):
curiosity. However, when his mother found
out, her reaction was brutal. She beat him with a stove poker
until his scalp split open. That night, Michelle ran away.
He slept in a junkyard, cold andafraid.
When found, child services intervened, but the damage was
already done. Child Protective Services placed
(02:53):
Michelle in Catholic institutions, places meant to
protect him, but behind the walls of the Panther's infant.
Instead of being protected from his unsafe home, he was sexually
abused by the priests there. When he tried to confess what
happened, they told him to pray harder.
There was no comfort, no protection, only shame.
(03:16):
Psychologists later said that these experiences shaped his
entire understanding of sex, power and love.
Abuse and control became intertwined in his mind.
By the age of 15, Michelle was acting out his pain.
He would molest younger children, seeking power where he
once felt powerless. He was arrested over and over. 8
(03:41):
convictions in Belgium for sexual offences against minors.
But nothing worked. Finds, probation and prison.
It all failed. In 1976, the Belgian authorities
gave up. They expelled him to the
Netherlands, his country of citizenship, where they thought
that he would no longer be theirproblem.
(04:02):
In Franekar, the Netherlands, Michelle tried to rebuild his
life. He started working as a truck
driver, married a woman named PDand had a daughter, Natasha.
But beneath the surface, his urges never stopped.
He offended again in 1980 and was sent to prison, then
sentenced to TBS forced psychiatric treatment at the
(04:23):
Vomesta clinic Ichronin. There he played the part of the
perfect patient. He smiled at the doctors, said
the right things and convinced them that he was ready for
release. In 1986.
They granted him supervised leave and then unsupervised.
During this time, 11 year old Cheryl Morian vanished without a
(04:45):
trace. Though suspicion fell on Stocks,
no evidence connected him to herdisappearance.
On June 22, 1989, Michelle Stocks was back behind the wheel
of his truck. This time he was hauling a load
of cherries through Germany. It was in the outskirts of
Paderborn that he crossed paths with 13 year old Marco Visor.
(05:11):
Marco was a boy like many others, inquisitive, friendly
and fascinated by the towering trucks and machinery on the open
Rd. When he approached Stocks to ask
about the truck, the conversation seemed harmless,
even kind. Stocks asked the boy if he
wanted to ride along with him inhis truck, and Marco agreed.
(05:32):
The two travelled nearly 400 kilometres together.
According to Stocks, he initially had no intention of
harming the boy. Marco appeared to be enjoying
his experience, and Stocks assumed that he may have run
away from home. After all, why would a child
willingly spend the entire day with a stranger?
He later said that he enjoyed the company.
(05:53):
It felt to him as though he had gained a companion.
When they arrived at the factorywhere Stocks was supposed to
unload his shipment of cherries,it turned out that they closed
for the weekend. With two days to wait.
He drove Marco to a rest area frequented by truckers spending
the night. No one seemed to question the
presence of a child with him. To others, Marco might have
(06:16):
looked like a nephew or even hisson.
Later that evening, after they had eaten, the two settled in
for the night in the cab of the truck.
It was then, in the confined space of the truck, that he
sexually assaulted the boy. The next morning, when Stox
wanted to repeat his actions, Marco refused, and something in
(06:36):
Stox's mind snapped. He was terrified the boy would
tell someone, and so he strangled him to death.
He drove for hours with Marco's lifeless body beside him before
dumping him along a forested roadside outside Paderborn.
Then he climbed back into his truck and kept driving.
(06:58):
A little over a year later, on August 15th, 1990, history
repeated itself. 9 year old Salim Tatil, a bright youthful
child, was playing outside near Nostadt when he crossed paths
with Michelle Stocks. A week earlier, Michelle Stocks
had damaged his truck by drivingunder a bridge that was too low
(07:20):
for clearance. Wanting to verify some details
about the incident, he returned to the scene.
While there, 9 year old Salim approached him to admire his new
Mercedes. At that moment, Stocks later
admitted he decided he wanted totake the boy.
He turned on the charm and persuaded Salim to get into the
(07:41):
car. Without hesitation, Stocks drove
directly to Luxembourg. He claimed that Salim initially
panicked but said that he managed to calm him down.
After the detour, Stocks drove the boy all the way back to his
home in AUSA. Once there, he took a shower
while Salim sat in the living room quietly reading a book.
(08:03):
When he was done, he suggested Salim take a shower as well,
which he did. While in the shower, Stock
sexually assaulted him. After the fact, Michelle claimed
he intended to let Salim go. He even said he planned to drop
him off in Amsterdam. But then, driving on the highway
near Leilistadt, a police car passed him and panic took over.
(08:26):
Afraid Salim would cry for help,afraid he'd be stopped, afraid
of losing his fragile freedom, Michelle pulled over and
strangled poor Salim. He left his body in a wooded
area and continued his route as though nothing had happened.
Michelle's final victim, 11 yearold Jessica Lavin, crossed paths
(08:49):
with stalks on a sunny day at a public swimming pool on July
27th, 1991 in Svak, the Netherlands.
She had lost the key to her bicycle lock and she was looking
for help. Michelle offered to assist.
He gained her trust and lured her into his apartment.
There, as before, the horrific pattern repeated itself.
(09:10):
Abuse, then murder. Jessica's body was found along
the A7 motorway, discarded by the side of the road.
The Netherlands was in shock. By now, the public was
terrified. Police across Germany and the
Netherlands collaborated on whatwould become one of the largest
child murder investigations in Dutch history.
(09:33):
Witnesses described a man in a truck, composite sketches
circulated nationwide and tips flooded in.
But the breakthrough came from Michelle's own profession.
Trucking logs, tachograph readings, and route records
placed him near the locations and times of each disappearance.
On October 20th, 1991, Michelle Stocks was arrested.
(09:59):
At first, he denied everything, but the evidence was
overwhelming. Fibers from Jessica's swimsuit
matched the upholstery of his truck, Saleem's DNA was found on
his clothing, and Marco's disappearance aligned perfectly
with his root. On November 26th, 1991, Stocks
finally confessed. Coldly, almost clinically.
(10:23):
He admitted to abducting, abusing, and murdering all three
children. But still he insisted that he
never intended to kill. According to him, the murders
were impulsive acts driven by panic, not premeditation.
The courtroom was packed when Michelle stood trial in 1992.
(10:44):
Journalists, grieving families, and curious citizens filled the
gallery. The crimes had horrified the
nation. Now the question remained, would
justice be served? The prosecution painted Stocks
as a dangerous individual beyondrehabilitation.
They described his murders as cold, opportunistic and entirely
(11:07):
preventable if the system had worked properly.
Painstaking descriptions of eachvictim's final moments silenced
the courtroom, and the air was heavy with disbelief and sorrow.
The defense, on the other hand, tried to explain Stocks's
actions through the lens of his horrific childhood.
They argued that he was the product of violence and abuse, a
(11:29):
man warped by trauma and failed by every institution meant to
help him. Psychiatrist testified that
Stock suffered from compulsive pedophilia and an inability to
cope with rejection or emotionalstress.
But they also warned his condition was incurable.
Without lifelong supervision, hewould always remain a threat,
(11:54):
the court ruled decisively. Michelle Stocks was sentenced to
20 years in prison and TBS and indefinite psychiatric
detention. He would never be released
unless doctors could provide absolute certainty that he would
no longer pose any danger. But that certainty would never
come. In prison, Michelle stocks lift
(12:17):
a quiet, isolated existence. Individuals convicted of crimes
against children are typically at the very bottom of the prison
hierarchy. So he spent most of his days
alone painting children's playgrounds, which, given the
history of his crimes, leaves a definite feeling of unease.
(12:38):
On September 25th, 2001, his life came to a sudden and
mysterious end. According to the official
report, Starks was working in a prison workshop.
He spilled turpentine on himselfand accidentally broke a light
bulb, causing a spark. In seconds, he was engulfed in
flames and died shortly after from his injuries.
(13:00):
But not everyone believed it wasan accident.
Some suspected suicide. There's whispering of revenge of
inmates or guards who wanted to punish him further for his
crimes. But whatever the true story may
be, on September 25th, 2001, Michelle Stocks died in prison.
(13:21):
But the story of Michelle Stocksdoesn't end there.
Although the three murders he was convicted of have been
solved, he still leaves behind questions.
Because the story doesn't end with the victims we know about,
there is another name forever tied to his legacy.
Natalie Heispertz. On February 26th, 1991, ten year
(13:43):
old Natalie disappeared while waiting for her school bus in
Leifdal, Belgium. She vanished without a trace in
broad daylight. Michelle Stocks quickly became
the prime suspect. He was, after all, active in the
area. Around that time, Belgian
investigators brought Stocks to Loven where they interrogated
(14:04):
him. For months.
Stocks denied knowing anything about Natalie, but the evidence
against him was strong. He had tampered with his trucks
tachograph to fabricate an alibi, claiming he was in France
when the girl vanished. But investigators discovered
that his fuel card had been usedmuch closer to the Belgian
border. Like with his other crimes, the
(14:27):
timelines, locations, and his behavior all fit.
Yet without a body or a confession, Belgian authorities
could not close the case. Then, in 2001, Stocks died in
prison, taking his secrets with him.
Belgian Commissioner Hilbert Hauben, who led the
investigation, remembered the moment he received the call that
(14:49):
Stocks had died. He had turned pale.
And I will never find her. To this day, Nathalie Heisberts
still remains missing. Many, including her mother, are
convinced Michelle Stocks was her killer, but the official
records remain incomplete. Another life lost in the shadows
(15:11):
of his crimes. This case truly raises the
question if monsters are born ormade.
Michelle Stocks had a terrible childhood, but then again so do
many others and they never turn to what he has done.
What do you guys think? Is his childhood to blame or is
it something that was inside himall along?
(15:33):
Let me know in the comments below.
But for now, that concludes today's story.
If you appreciated this episode,please leave a like and consider
subscribing. You can find any images related
to the case on the lowest crime Instagram account.
Thank you all so much for listening and I look forward to
seeing you in the next one.
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