Two suspects in the fatal shooting of Paul Parker, a British man identified in Dutch media as a notorious gangster, have been moved to protective custody in the Netherlands. The men, identified as René S., 65, and John S., 44, were placed in solitary confinement and had their visitors moved to a separate area after authorities received intelligence about an alleged assassination threat.
Parker, 52, died on June 1 in Heerhugowaard after being shot during an altercation. Reports indicate he entered the premises armed with a knife, reportedly to collect a debt. The suspects sustained serious injuries during the same incident and were being treated in the hospital when the threat emerged.
John S.'s lawyer, Michel de Klerk, stated that his client's family and he himself had also received threats. However, Dutch law enforcement later informed the lawyers that the threat against their clients was no longer considered active. De Klerk expressed skepticism about the abrupt disappearance of the threat, questioning the basis for the initial warning and noting the timing, which occurred just before a preliminary court hearing.
Parker himself was reportedly a suspect in the 2017 murders of Pieter Hoovers, 54, and his wife, Tae Kawepanya, 32, in Amsterdam. Police had released CCTV footage of a "British criminal" in connection with the double murder and offered a reward for information. Dutch media reports have identified Parker as that suspect. Parker and his brother David were previously jailed in 1993 for their involvement in the death of a teenager during a botched drug deal.
The provisional cause of Parker's death in the Netherlands was a gunshot wound, according to information shared with a coroner's court in the UK. An inquest into Parker's death has been opened and adjourned pending the outcome of investigations in the Netherlands. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is supporting Parker's family and is in contact with Dutch authorities.