People gather in July 2021 at the spot where Peter R. de Vries was shot. / Ph. ANP ‹ › A suspect in connection with the murder of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries has been arrested in Morocco. Ismail M. (34), suspected of orchestrating the killing 4.5 years ago and identified as a key figure within Ridouan Taghi's criminal network, had already been detained in the kingdom last autumn, according to Het Parool. The investigation indicates that one of the Polish perpetrators, Krystian M., had been in contact with Ismail M. A photo of De Vries, taken on the evening of the murder, was found on an encrypted phone belonging to Krystian M., accompanied by the message: «You have to have this dog». The image is believed to have originated from a device linked to Ismail M. The arrest is seen as a new indication of the involvement of Taghi's network in the murder, Dutch media report. Peter R. de Vries was shot near Leidseplein in central Amsterdam on July 6, 2021, and died of his injuries nine days later. In December, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal sentenced shooter Delano G. and getaway driver Kamil E. to 27.5 years in prison, while organizer Krystian M. received 26 years and one month. No sentences have yet been handed down for those suspected of ordering the killing due to insufficient evidence.
