How a Love Triangle led to High-Altitude Murder in Belgium

Both had a passion for Skydiving. They both had a passion for the same handsome Dutchman. Every weekend they went skydiving  with Mr. Somers. This love triangle led to murder at 13,000 feet: the parachute cords of both pilot chute and reserve parachute were cut by Els Clottemans, (left picture) leaving her alleged love rival, a married mother-of-two plunge to death. This happened a fortnight after the victim, Els van Doren (right picture) spent the night in her lover’s arms, while Els Clottemans was forced to sleep on the bench in the same house - also leaving her the opportunity to tamper with the parachute.

Els Clottemans, a 26-year old Belgian schoolteacher was charged with murder in November 2006, because as an experienced skydiver she had the knowledge and the opportunity to sabotage the parachute. She became a prime suspect after attempting suicide shortly before she was to make a statement to police a month after Els van Doren’s “dive of death”.

“Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they're open”

On her personal page on Hi5, a social network, the about: section says: “I'm not a concept. Too many guys think I'm a concept or I complete them or I'm going to make them alive, but I'm just a f****d up girl who is looking for my own peace of mind.” And then her favorite quote:  “Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they're open”

The trial started four weeks ago with 170+ witnesses and was colored with contradictions and lies from the accused (she refused the lie-detector test), who spent in the meantime already one year in prison. There is no hard evidence to prove  guiltiness, but because of the profiling results of the accused and because of various other indications there’s almost no doubt left: she committed the murder, in cold blood, to eliminate a love rival !

Today 20 October at 19:00 hours the jury composed of 5 women and 7 men gave the verdict: GUILTY!

The condemned  Els Clottemans shows absolutely no emotion, as she did throughout the whole four week long trial…