An alleged hitman suspected of carrying out a double murder has been killed in the Netherlands. Paul Parker, 52, from Liverpool, was stabbed to death during a knife and gun battle in the Dutch city of Heerhugowaard on June 1 this year.
Details of the Incident
Dutch media reported that Parker is believed to have broken into a business, sparking a fight involving guns and knives. Armed police and a helicopter were dispatched to the scene. Two men, aged 44 and 65, both from the Netherlands, were later arrested in hospital.
At the time of his death, Parker was wanted in connection with the murder of Dutchman Pieter Hoovers, 62, and his partner, Tae Kawepanya, 32. The couple, who lived in Thailand, had returned to Amsterdam on holiday when they were ambushed inside a flat.
Police Investigation
According to regional broadcaster NH and newspaper Parool, investigators believe Parker was the man sought for the killings. He was never arrested for these offenses, but an Amsterdam cold-case team released information in May 2024 indicating that the couple was likely killed by a "British criminal."
CCTV footage released by police showed the suspect three times on the day of the murders. Investigators said the gunman was dropped off at the murder scene in different cars each time. The working assumption is that the victims were not home during the suspect's first visit, so he had to return to finish the job. A third visit was investigated as the killer returned to erase traces. A €20,000 reward was offered for information.
Background of Victims and Suspect
Mr. Hoovers, who had a background in martial arts, founded record label Outland Records before selling the business and relocating to Thailand in the mid-1990s.
The Daily Mail named Parker as the victim of the Heerhugowaard incident. A photo published by the Mail showed Parker on a boat with Mr. Hoovers, suggesting a prior friendship between the men. The Mail also reported that Parker left the UK around the turn of the millennium.
Previous Criminal Record
Parker and his brother had both been jailed for their role in the killing of a teenager during a botched drug deal. Seventeen-year-old Phillip Green, from Warrington, was stabbed in the heart after going to Walton Hall Park to buy cannabis. The Parker brothers were recorded by police discussing their roles in the incident, while Liverpool Crown Court heard a third unknown man delivered the fatal stab. Both brothers were jailed for five years. Phillip Parker later received an additional three-month sentence for remaining unlawfully at large for four months.
Speaking on the 20th anniversary of her son's death, Phillip's mother Pat said: "The memories have never faded. I remember every detail of that day as if it was yesterday, it's like a film being played. But I wouldn't ever want to forget it. It was the last day I saw Phillip alive."
Official Response
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told the ECHO: "We are supporting the family of a British man who died in the Netherlands and are in contact with the local authorities."
