Case name: The woman with the flower tattoo
Case code: 2023-BE02
The case
On 3 June 1992, a woman’s body was found against a grate in the water of the river ‘Groot Schijn’ near the Ten Eekhovelei in Belgium. The woman appeared to have been violently killed. Her most striking physical feature was a flower tattoo with ‘R’Nick’ written underneath. For three decades, the victim remained nameless.
Having exhausted all possible leads and suspecting she may have come from another country, Belgian authorities submitted this case to Operation Identify Me, hoping the woman’s tattoo would jog someone’s memory.
The identification
The woman with the flower tattoo was identified in 2023 as Rita Roberts, 31.
Several days after the launch of Operation Identify Me, a family member in the United Kingdom recognized the tattoo on the news and notified authorities. They believed the victim had moved to Antwerp from Cardiff in February 1992, and had never been heard from again after sending a postcard in May 1992.
In November 2023 authorities announced her formal identification.
Ongoing investigation
Police in Belgium are calling on the public for any information they may have on Rita Roberts.
She was around 1m70 in height and had a stout build. She was light-skinned and had mid-length dark hair. Her teeth were in good condition. On her left forearm, she had a tattoo of a black flower with green leaves and ‘R'Nick’ written underneath.
She wore a t-shirt (dark blue, purple and light green) with the inscription ‘SPLINTER’ and ‘1990’, dark blue Adidas training trousers with three green stripes and dark walking shoes, size 40, brand ‘DAG’.
Contact
If you have any information regarding this investigation, please contact the Belgian national police via the form below.
You can also contact them and view this case on their national police website.
If you have any information regarding the possible identity of this person, please contact the national police.
