Étienne Dedroog

Since 2015, after a complete investigation, the Spanish police have officially suspected Dedroog as the killer of López, and the lawyer has requested, on behalf of the victim's family, an extradition so he could face trial.

He immediately confessed to killing the Blankaerts, and on 7 November 2014 he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Assizes in Arlon. However, he vehemently denied killing Crettaz, despite admitting that he had indeed stayed in her lodge on the date of death. Despite the best efforts of his defense team, Dedroog was sentenced to a further 25 years imprisonment by the French assize court.

Before settling in Crettaz's rural B&B home in Bouchet, Dedroog committed fuel fraud, as well as scamming tens of hotels and B&Bs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Carpentras, Vedène and Caderousse. On 11 October 2011 he killed the 57-year-old by cutting her external carotid artery, before stealing her credit cards and escaping in her car towards Spain.

Not much is known about Dedroog's early life, but it was known that he was very attached to his mother. When she died in 2007, at the same time period he was getting a divorce, Dedroog experienced a mental breakdown the following year. According to reports from psychiatrists and psychologists, he has a "psychopathic personality", referring to his morbid egocentrism and tendency to manipulate others.

Étienne Dedroog (born 1971), known as The Lodgers' Killer, is a Belgian criminal and serial killer, responsible for killing a woman in France and the double murder of a Flemish couple. He is also suspected of another murder in Spain. Dedroog was sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder, 25 years for the France murder and is currently being investigated for the Spain killing.