Murder of Gijsbert "Ben" Kistemaker

In May of 1979 26-year-old Gijsbert "Ben" Kistemaker bought a faded blue and white Chevy van in New York. He was from the Netherlands and planned a road trip across to California and then up north on the coast through Oregon and Washington to get to British Columbia to meet a friend. He was known to pick up hitchhikers. 

On September 22, 1979, Ben's van was found abandoned near mile marker 233 on Highway 101 in Oregon. Receipts in the van indicated that he traveled as far north as Seattle. The van was unlocked and out of gas. On December 25th his body was found in an old gravel pit about 3 miles from Rockport, Washington on Rockport Cascade Road. He had been shot in the head

SOURCES:

Skagit County

Skagit Breaking March 3, 2020

Defrosting Cold Cases May 24, 2020