Nicole van den Hurk murder case in court 20 years after crime

Twenty years after the fact, a suspect is finally standing trial for the rape and murder of Nicole van den Hurk from Eindhoven. On Monday suspect Jos de G. told the court in Den Bosch that he definitely did not kill the 15 year old girl in 1995, and if he did have sex with her, he cannot remember it. Nicole van den Hurk disappeared between her grandmother's house and her job in October 1995. Her body was found in the woods between Lierop and Mierlo a month later. She had been raped and murdered. The forensic technology of the time was unable to analyze any DNA found on her body, but in 2011 her body was exhumed and the suspect's DNA was found. "Sex was the same as paying for the groceries", the 48 year old De G. told the court, adding that he had low self esteem and drank to feel good, according to journalist Wout van Arensbergen's tweets from the courtroom. He also told the court that between his divorce in 1990 and the birth of his daughter in 1998, he had a very wild life. He stated that he did not differentiate between "old, young, blond, black", and hat sex meant nothing to him. He also stated that sex was an escape from reality for him. The man has previously been convicted for several crimes, including two cases of rape and one of aggravated assault. He was serving a sentence in a psychiatric clinic when the police determined he was a suspect in the Nicole van den Hurk murder case. Nicole's family also had a chance to speak in court on Monday. On Facebook her stepbrother, Andy van den Hurk, said "Today my sister's rape and murder trial starts After 20 years I hope she'll get the rest she deserves. Needless to say I'm a nervous wreck." Her stepmother and stepsister also released a statement through the press, according to broadcaster NOS. "No daughter, no little sister anymore, from 6 October 1995 no complete family anymore. From 6 October 1995 no Nicole anymore. Disbelief, pain, sorrow, are he first words in my head. I've actually been speaking these words in my head for twenty years. But these words mean nothing to those who did this to her, for them need, lust, power matter." the statement reads.