The owner of a stone fabrication company in Bissegem, Belgium, has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 60-year-classic employee, West Flanders public prosecutors announced Saturday.
The suspect, a 39-year-old man, was apprehended around 2:00 PM local time in Rollegem, a suburb of Kortrijk, by a joint team from the Vlas police zone and the federal judicial police, known as Tares. The arrest follows a search initiated after the victim’s body was discovered Monday morning at Stone Factory, located on the Meensesteenweg in Bissegem.
Investigators found the suspect’s cut ankle monitor at the scene of the crime, indicating he had been under electronic surveillance prior to the incident. The man had been considered a fugitive since the discovery of the body. According to authorities, the suspect has a prior criminal record and multiple convictions.
“The suspect will now be questioned and then appear before the investigating judge,” a statement from the public prosecutor’s office read.
The victim had been working at the company for several days before his death, and initial examinations revealed signs of external violence. Police responded to reports of gunshots in the area the night before the body was found, further suggesting a violent encounter.
The arrest took place on the Rollegemseweg in Rollegem, according to reports. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released further details regarding the motive or circumstances surrounding the murder.
