Amsterdam Cold Case Utilizes Hologram to Seek Clues in Sex Worker’s Unsolved Murder

Within Amsterdam’s red light district, a holographic representation of a young sex worker is displayed. This 3D computer-generated image, depicted wearing faded denim hotpants, a leopard-print bra, and a tattoo extending across her stomach and chest, extends an arm as if to tap on a window to gain notice. The figure then leans in, exhales onto the glass, and inscribes the word “help”. This hologram is intended to portray Bernadette “Betty” Szabo, a 19-year-old Hungarian woman who was killed in 2009, several months after giving birth. Her stabbing death has remained unsolved by police for 15 years. Dutch cold case investigators are employing this novel technology for the first time in an attempt to resolve the investigation. The digital image of the deceased teenager is projected from behind a window, positioned among numerous young women who continue to work in this notably hazardous profession. Authorities hope this realistic hologram will stimulate recollections and bring focus to the unresolved homicide. To date, the individual responsible for Betty’s death has not been apprehended, and cold case detective Anne Dreijer-Heemskerk is committed to altering this situation, stating: “A young woman, only 19, taken from life in such a horrific way.” According to the detective, Szabo experienced a challenging life, characterized by adversity and fortitude. She relocated to Amsterdam at 18, subsequently becoming pregnant. She continued her work throughout her pregnancy, resuming it shortly after the birth of her son. In the early morning hours of 19 February 2009, two sex workers checked on the young mother during a break between clients, noticing that her customary music was absent. Upon entering her brothel, a compact room furnished with a plastic-covered bed, a vanity table, and a sink, they found Betty Szabo’s body. She had been killed three months postpartum, having suffered a brutal knife attack. Her infant was placed into foster care and never had the opportunity to know his mother, a circumstance that serves as a driving force for investigators. Despite police promptly initiating a murder inquiry, the perpetrator was never identified. Authorities meticulously reviewed CCTV recordings and interviewed potential witnesses. Most individuals observing the lightly clothed women behind the red neon-lit windows are tourists. Police theorize that the assailant originated from outside the country. Currently, authorities are appealing to individuals who may have visited Amsterdam to recall any relevant information, offering a €30,000 reward to incentivize witnesses to step forward. While Amsterdam contends with contentious proposals to move its renowned brothels to an “erotic zone” outside the city, Betty Szabo’s hologram serves as a powerful reminder of the precariousness faced by sex workers in a district that, notwithstanding various security provisions, continues to be hazardous. Sex workers have expressed apprehension that relocating women who sell sex away from public visibility might subject them to increased risks. That a violent offense of this nature could transpire in one of the Netherlands’ most frequented nightlife areas without witnesses emerging continues to perplex investigators. Within the historic red-light district, her former place of residence and employment, the digital representation of the teenage sex worker serves as a reminder to passers-by that her case remains unresolved.