Étienne Dedroog

Étienne Dedroog (born 1971), known as The Lodgers' Killer, is a Belgian criminal and serial killer, responsible for killing a woman in France and the double murder of a Flemish couple. He is also suspected of another murder in Spain. Dedroog was sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder, 25 years for the France murder and is currently being investigated for the Spain killing.

Biography Not much is known about Dedroog's early life, but it was known that he was very attached to his mother. When she died in 2007, at the same time he was getting a divorce, Dedroog experienced a mental breakdown the following year. According to reports from psychiatrists and psychologists, he has a "psychopathic personality", referring to his morbid egocentrism and tendency to manipulate others.

Murders Véronique Crettaz Before settling in Crettaz's rural B&B home in Bouchet, Dedroog committed fuel fraud, as well as scamming tens of hotels and B&Bs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Carpentras, Vedène and Caderousse. On 11 October 2011 he killed the 57-year-old by cutting her external carotid artery, before stealing her credit cards and escaping in her car towards Spain.

Tomas Martínez López On the early morning of 16 November, 76-year-old Tomas Martínez López had decided to go fishing near the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Andalusia. Initially believed to be an accidental fall that had caused the death, it was later revealed that López had been killed by a violent blow to the head with a rock, which had fractured his skull. His missing car was found on 10 December in La Jonquera,

At the time of the murder, Dedroog was in Almería, working as a seasonal orange grower.

Surrender and trials On 1 December, Dedroog sent a message to his niece on Facebook, stating that he "does not recognize [himself] anymore", that "he did not deserve to be called a brother" and that "he had done more serious things than Ronald Janssen". However, he vehemently denied killing Crettaz, despite admitting that he had indeed stayed in her lodge on the date of death. Despite the best efforts of his defence team, Dedroog was sentenced to a further 25 years imprisonment by the French assize court.