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Killing of Anne Faber

SOLVED2017Den Dolder and Soesterberg, Utrecht, Netherlands5 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Anne Faber, 25, left Utrecht by bicycle on September 29, 2017, and disappeared while riding through the province. Her family reported her missing that night. Volunteers and authorities searched along her route, and items recovered during the search produced evidence used in the investigation. Police arrested Michael P., who was living at a forensic psychiatric facility in Den Dolder while completing an earlier sentence.

On October 12, thirteen days after Faber disappeared, police found her body in a nature area near Zeewolde. Information from the suspect directed investigators to the area. The later court account established that he abducted and sexually assaulted Faber, transported her, killed her near the former Soesterberg air base, and moved her body to Zeewolde.

The Midden-Nederland District Court convicted Michael P. on July 17, 2018, of rape, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and qualified manslaughter, as well as separate assaults on employees at the Pieter Baan Centre. The court imposed 28 years in prison and compulsory psychiatric treatment. It did not find premeditation proved, so the adjudicated killing offense was qualified manslaughter rather than murder under Dutch law.

The Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal affirmed the convictions and sentence on July 5, 2019. On June 23, 2020, the Dutch Supreme Court left the convictions intact but reduced the prison term by four months, to 27 years and eight months, because of force and procedural violations during the arrest. The compulsory-treatment order remained in place.

The title follows the adjudicated offense, and the convicted person's surname remains abbreviated. The primary disappearance and killing locations are identified as Den Dolder and Soesterberg in Utrecht, while Zeewolde is retained as the recovery location.

Key facts

Victims
Anne Faber
Date
2017
Location
Den Dolder and Soesterberg, Utrecht, Netherlands
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2017-09-29

    Anne Faber disappeared while cycling through Utrecht province.

  2. 2017-10-09

    Police arrested Michael P. in connection with Faber's disappearance.

  3. 2017-10-12

    Police found Faber's body in a nature area near Zeewolde after information from the suspect led them to the site.

  4. 2018-07-17

    The Midden-Nederland District Court convicted Michael P. of qualified manslaughter, rape, and unlawful deprivation of liberty and imposed 28 years in prison plus compulsory treatment.

  5. 2019-07-05

    The Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal affirmed the convictions and sentence while finding premeditated murder unproved.

  6. 2020-06-23

    The Dutch Supreme Court left the convictions intact and reduced the prison term to 27 years and eight months.

Best coverage

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People

  • Anne Faber

    VICTIM

    Twenty-five-year-old Utrecht resident abducted, sexually assaulted, and killed during a bicycle ride.

  • Michael P.

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of qualified manslaughter, rape, and unlawful deprivation of liberty; the final prison term was 27 years and eight months plus compulsory psychiatric treatment.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Den Dolder and Soesterberg, Utrecht, Netherlands

52.1400, 5.2400

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Anne Faber disappeared during a bicycle ride in Utrecht province in 2017; Michael P. was convicted of qualified manslaughter, rape, and unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Where did the killing happen?
Den Dolder and Soesterberg, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Who was convicted?
Michael P. (Convicted of qualified manslaughter, rape, and unlawful deprivation of liberty; the final prison term was 27 years and eight months plus compulsory psychiatric treatment.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Netherlands

Sources

  1. PRESSHoge Raad verlaagt straf Michael P., die Anne Faber doodde, met vier maandenNOS Nieuws · 2026-07-13
  2. OFFICIAL / AGENCYOpgeloste zaak: onderzoek Anne FaberPolitie Nederland · 2026-07-13
  3. COURT RECORDOok in hoger beroep 28 jaar cel en tbs voor Michael P.Gerechtshof Arnhem-Leeuwarden / De Rechtspraak · 2026-07-13
  4. COURT RECORD28 jaar cel en tbs voor verkrachten en doden Anne FaberRechtbank Midden-Nederland / De Rechtspraak · 2026-07-13
  5. ENCYCLOPEDICDen DolderWikidata · 2026-07-13

Record history

First published
JUL 13, 2026