Man Arrested on Suspicion of Murder in Ostend

A 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Ostend, a coastal city in West Flanders, Belgium. The suspect was formally placed in detention by an investigating judge on Saturday, according to VRT NWS.

The lifeless body of a woman was discovered on Thursday evening in a terraced house in the Meiboomwijk neighborhood in central Ostend. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of West Flanders immediately treated the death as suspicious, as reported during the initial investigation.

Victim Yet to Be Formally Identified

The victim, believed to be 64-year-old Dorine V., has not yet been officially identified because the body was in a state of decomposition when it was found. The residence where the body was discovered is believed to have been the woman’s home on Waterwerkstraat.

According to Het Nieuws van West-Vlaanderen, neighbors described the victim as “a particularly kind and especially social woman” who had taken an interest in the fate of a homeless man a few weeks before the incident. One neighbor remarked that she “may now have paid for it with her life.”

The Suspect

The suspect, who had a reference address at the OCMW (Public Centre for Social Welfare) in Ostend, had reportedly been given shelter by the victim in her home for some time. The man and the victim knew each other, though the exact nature of their relationship remains under investigation.

“We are still investigating what the relationship is between the suspect and the victim,” the Public Prosecutor’s Office stated, as reported by Lokaal Nieuws.

The suspect was arrested on Friday and formally placed in detention by the investigating judge in Bruges on Saturday. He is scheduled to appear before the council chamber (raadkamer) next week. His lawyer is Pieterjan Dens.

Investigation Details

A forensic doctor and the forensic laboratory were appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. According to the Nieuwsblad, someone had placed a sheet over the victim’s body.

The investigation into the exact circumstances of the death is ongoing. In the interest of the investigation, the prosecutor’s office has declined to release further details at this time.

Context: Homelessness in Ostend

Ostend, a city with a significant homeless population, has been grappling with social issues related to poverty and social exclusion. According to Doctors of the World, one in four people in Ostend lives in poverty. This case highlights the vulnerability of individuals who extend compassion to those experiencing homelessness.

This is not the first murder case in Ostend involving a suspect with a troubled background. In April 2025, a 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murdering his 53-year-old neighbor, as reported by VRT NWS. That suspect had a criminal record including arson, theft with violence, and rape.

What’s Next

The suspect will be brought before the council chamber next week, where a decision will be made on whether to extend his detention. Meanwhile, investigators continue their work to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and to formally confirm the victim’s identity.

Focus-WTV reported that the case was among several suspicious deaths in the region, including a separate incident in Roeselare where a 26-year-old Polish woman was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances.

As the judicial process unfolds, the community in the Meiboomwijk neighborhood remains in a state of uncertainty, awaiting official confirmation of the victim’s identity and further details about the circumstances that led to this tragedy.