A tourist found dead six days after going missing in a popular backpacker destination was the victim of a violent crime, it has emerged.
Marlies Genz, from Schagen in the Netherlands, disappeared in Salento, Colombia, on 25 May.
She had been due to visit a coffee farm about an hour’s walk from her hostel at 2pm that day but never arrived.
The last known contact with her was at around 1pm.
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Authorities discovered her body floating in a small lake in Salento’s rural Palestina area on the morning of 31 May.
Local media later reported that police investigators had found signs of violence on her body.
At the time, a local police commander said the leading theory was that the 41-year-old had been physically attacked.
Foul play had already been suspected after Marlies’ sister and a friend noticed that, following her disappearance, her smartphone and AirPods had suddenly begun transmitting a signal from a completely different location.
Her phone was traced to an electronics repair shop in Medellín, over a hundred miles from where her body was found.
It has now been confirmed that her death was the result of a crime, according to the victim-support organisation Namens de Familie.
Her family said in a statement released through the non-profit: “As bitter as it is, we are relieved that our dear Marlies is finally back with us, home with her family.
“We are now going to do everything we can to give her a truly beautiful funeral, where we will celebrate her life in the company of her dear friends and family, and say goodbye to her in a way that truly honours Marlies.”
Detectives are continuing to investigate the case as they try to reconstruct Marlies’ final movements.
They have interviewed local residents and are appealing for witnesses, as reported by Need To Know.
The area where she disappeared is known for its tranquillity and relatively low crime rates.
Her family added: “Marlies was an adventurous, fun-loving, positive and resilient woman who sadly lost her life far too young.”
A reward of up to 30m Colombian pesos (£6,565) has been offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
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