Belgian Secretary Denies Premeditation in Murder Case

The Brussels public prosecutor’s office has completed its investigation into the killing of Carmel D. (61), the American wife of a Goodyear executive, and is seeking to bring the accused, Greet V. (55), before an assize court on charges of premeditated murder, according to Het Laatste Nieuws. The case, dubbed “the millionaire murder” in Belgian media, has captivated national attention since March 2025.

The Crime

On March 17, 2025, Carmel D. was fatally stabbed four times in the chest and abdomen in her upscale apartment on the Roger Vandendriesschelaan in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, Brussels. The victim’s husband, Chris D. (62), a top executive at Goodyear responsible for European, Middle Eastern, and African operations, discovered her body when he returned home that evening.

The main suspect is Greet V., Chris D.’s private secretary of 13 years, who had been having an affair with her boss. According to the prosecution’s case, Greet V. entered the apartment disguised with a face mask and a men’s wig, using a copy of the house key she had secretly made from her boss’s key while he was away from the office. She waited in the apartment for about 15 minutes until Carmel returned from a walk, then emerged from a storage room and attacked her with a kitchen knife.

The Cover-Up and Breakthrough

After the murder, Greet V. attempted to make the killing look like a robbery, spending nearly an hour searching the apartment and stealing luxury watches and a brooch. The investigation initially focused on other suspects, including the couple’s cleaning lady, who was even considered the prime suspect for a time, as Het Laatste Nieuws reported.

The breakthrough came when Greet V. confessed to a friend at a riding school in Kampenhout, where she kept her horses. The friend went to the police, leading to Greet V.’s arrest on April 4, 2025 — 18 days after the murder. Police found the stolen luxury watches and the murder weapon hidden at the riding school, as BRUZZ confirmed.

The Defense

Greet V. admits to the killing but denies premeditation, claiming she felt trapped when Carmel returned home earlier than expected. She argues that using a kitchen knife rather than bringing one from home supports her claim of impulsive action rather than planned murder. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, she told investigators she “just wanted to be in the apartment” and was surprised when Carmel returned early.

The prosecution, however, points to several factors suggesting premeditation: the secretly copied key, the disguise, the hour-long bicycle ride from Steenokkerzeel to Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, the waiting in the apartment, and the staged robbery afterward. Court psychiatrists consider Greet V. fully accountable for her actions, with no evidence of psychopathy or narcissism.

Legal Proceedings

The case is currently in the phase of “regulation of legal proceedings” (regeling van de rechtspleging). “The Indictment Chamber will consider the prosecutor’s request for referral to the assize court in the coming weeks,” An Schoonjans, press magistrate at the Brussels public prosecutor’s office, told Het Laatste Nieuws. A trial before the assize court — which includes a jury — could potentially take place before 2027.

Greet V. remains in the prison of Haren. Her request for release with an electronic ankle monitor was denied in May. Chris D., whose contract with Goodyear was terminated without severance pay following the affair, has moved to New York, where he lives with his four children and grandchildren.

What’s Next

The Indictment Chamber’s decision on whether to refer the case to the assize court will determine the next phase of this high-profile prosecution. If referred, the trial would mark the culmination of a case that has exposed the dark undercurrents of a seemingly glamorous executive life — an affair, jealousy, and a meticulously planned killing that prosecutors argue was nothing less than premeditated murder.