Casefile True Crime - Case 283: Kris Kremers & Lisanne Froon

Episode Date: May 11, 2024

When Dutch friends Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon set out for a six-week adventure in Panama in 2014, they were ready for the trip of a lifetime. But after failing to show up for a planned tour in the mountain town of Boquete, search parties sprung into action. Had the two young women gotten lost while hiking the popular Pianista trail, or was something more sinister at play? --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Elsha McGill Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn Sign up for Casefile Premium: Apple Premium Spotify Premium Patreon For all credits and sources, please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-283-kris-kremers-lisanne-froon

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Tire Discounter Group, tirediscountergroup.ca Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support and for a more detailed list of content warnings, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. When 22-year-old Lisan Froon told her parents she was planning a six-week trip to Costa Rica, they kept their concerns to themselves. The Froon family lived in the Dutch city of Amersfoort and had never been outside of Europe.

With relatively little travel experience, Lisan's parents had reservations about their only daughter venturing to a foreign country, but they wanted to be supportive. Lisan had been struggling with self-confidence, and a step outside her comfort zone could be exactly what she needed. Besides, Lisan was a sensible, intelligent and introspective young woman who preferred nature and sports over partying. She gave her family no reason to worry. When the trip unexpectedly fell through, Lisan's parents breathed the collective sigh of relief. But that relief was short-lived. Before long, Lassane announced the plan was back in action, but the destination had been changed.

She would be going to the neighbouring country of Panama instead. In the lead-up to the trip, Lassane sat her parents and older brother down and ran them through every step of her upcoming journey. She would be travelling with her close friend, 21-year-old Chris Cramer's, a fine arts student with a flair for performing. The two had met four years prior while working at the same restaurant, and they'd recently moved into a shared house together. Chris had fallen in love with Latin America during a family vacation to Peru. Since then, she'd fantasised about returning to the continent to study Spanish. Chris was extroverted, creative,

and outgoing, complimenting Lissane's quieter and more reserved personality. The two friends had a shared vision. They didn't just want a simple vacation through typical tourist traps, they wanted a special trip, one that held significance. They'd spend two weeks in the coastal Panamanian town of Bocas del Toro, exploring the beaches while taking Spanish classes. Then it was on to the mountain region of Boquete where they'd immerse themselves in the local culture and language and do some volunteer work at a daycare centre. Lissane's brother deemed it unnecessary for his sister to go through their plans in such detail but that's just the kind of person she was, organised to a tee. As the big day approached, Lisan was apprehensive yet excited. Having spent the past few years

working part time while studying for her degree in Applied Psychology, she was ready for an adventure. The departing flight was scheduled for March 15, 2014. When the day came, Lisan checked in at Amsterdam's Skiphole Airport and stood waiting with her parents. Chris Kramer's was running late. With each passing minute, the ever-punctual Lisan grew more anxious. Lisan's parents reassured her that Chris would arrive any moment. While they too had been nervous about the trip, they now gazed at their daughter with nothing but pride and admiration. When Chris finally arrived, Lassan's anxiety gave way to excitement. Peter Froon embraced his daughter into a tight bear hug. Make the most of it, her mother

said. In high spirits, the two friends took off down the long hallway leading to their flight. Just before they disappeared from view, Lassane turned around and waved a final goodbye. At that moment, Peter relaxed. It was clear to him that his daughter no longer had any hesitations. She was ready. The four parents decided to grab a quick coffee together. This was the first time they'd ever met, and with their daughters embarking on such a major adventure together, it was suggested that they exchange phone numbers. Surely they'd never need to use them, but just in case. For Chris Cramerz and Lassane Froon, the trip started out like a dream. After overcoming the shock of jet lag, they spent the first leg of their journey embracing the tropical heat and

Caribbean lifestyle of Bocas del Toro. They took Spanish classes, went island hopping and hung out with fellow travellers. They snorkelled, danced in a tropical rainstorm and ate incredible food. It was unlike anything they'd ever experienced. After a day trip to the nearby Zapatea island, Lassane wrote in her diary, After a day trip to the nearby Zapotea island, Lassane wrote in her diary, I could not believe my eyes. It was one big paradise. Exactly like in your dreams. Even a temporary stomach bug couldn't keep Chris's spirits down. As their time in Bocas del Toro drew to an end, she struggled to say goodbye. "'The time we had in Bocas was really amazing,' Chris wrote in her diary.

"'We really had a holiday there. I have never seen a place with such a beautiful coastline and palm trees and such. Really super.'" Chris and Lassane arrived in Boquete on Saturday March 29, 2014. Located in the western province of Chiriquí, just 60 kilometres from the Costa Rican border, Boquete is a quaint mountain town known for its hiking trails, waterfalls, coffee plantations and lush scenery. At 1200 metres above sea level, the cooler climate makes it a popular destination for tourists seeking nature and outdoor adventure. With a significant

expat community, Boquete promised Lasanne and Chris a unique experience without being too far off the beaten path. The young women had arranged to stay with a local family who rented out rooms to international guests. Not only did this suit their budget, it allowed them a genuine insight into local life. But this culture shock quickly proved overwhelming for Lisan. On the night of their arrival, she confided in her diary that she wanted to go home. Although the place was beautiful and the host family was friendly, Lassane felt that the switch from vacation mode to living the real life of a real Panamanian was

too much. She wrote, "...I was way too naive to think that I could handle this. I'm in way over my head. I want mum and dad to hold me tight and tell me that everything will be alright. But I can't let them know how I feel now because I don't want them to worry. I thought I should be able to do this, the final test before I can be really happy with myself. So far, I have failed badly." Chris wrote about struggling to adapt to the new environment as well, but after a decent night's sleep, both women were in better spirits. They spent the next day exploring the town and checking

out some tours advertised in the local Spanish school. Months prior to leaving the Netherlands, they'd arranged to volunteer at a boquete children's centre called Aura Daycare. Both friends were looking forward to it immensely. But when they arrived at Aura on Monday March 31, they didn't get the warm welcome they anticipated. The staff weren't expecting the pair for another week and had no use for them in the meantime. Put off by the cold treatment they received, Chris wrote in her diary, Today was a strange day. We don't really want to go back to Aura anymore because we didn't feel welcome at all there and it was really a huge disappointment. Lissane's diary entry was more succinct. Yuck, yuck, yuck, she wrote. Our first

day was a disaster. In an attempt to shake off their disappointment, the young women went to the Spanish school to discuss alternative volunteer projects. They found another they liked the sound of and hoped they could begin in the next couple of days. While they waited for a response from the volunteer coordinator, they treated themselves to a massage. Chris wrote, Let's hope that the other project is really fun. Let's go with the Panamanian flow. On the morning of Wednesday April 2, 2014, Boquete tour guide Feliciano Gonzalez stood

at the Spanish school waiting for Lisanne Froon and Chris Cramer. The previous morning, the Dutch tourists had booked a tour with Feliciano to visit a nearby farm. A German woman named Eileen who worked at the Spanish school also decided to join them. But as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of Lisan and Chris. Feliciano knew the young women were staying with a host family who lived just a few minutes from the Spanish school. He and Eileen walked to the house to see if Chris and Lisanne were there and had perhaps got their times mixed up.

No one appeared to be home and the curtains to the guest room were pulled shut. Feliciano phoned the homeowner, a woman named Miriam, to ask if she knew where the Dutch women could be. Miriam had no idea. She said that Chris and Lissane were still out when she went to bed the previous evening. She hadn't seen them that morning either, but had left them breakfast before heading off to work. Miriam told Feliciano where he could find a spare key and gave him permission to go inside. He entered Chris and Lisanne's room. The room was relatively tidy and the two single beds didn't appear to have been slept in. Some of the women's personal belongings, including mobile phone charges, were spread out

across their beds and the bedside table while the rest of their luggage was packed away into the cupboard. Wherever Lisan and Chris were, the state of their room indicated that they didn't intend to be gone for long. Feliciano and Eileen reasoned that the pair had likely changed their plans last minute without informing anyone. They decided to check in later that day to make sure all was well. By the time Miriam returned home from work, the breakfast she'd put out for her guests remained untouched. By sundown, Lysanne and Chris still hadn't returned to Miriam's, nor had they contacted

anyone to inform them of their whereabouts. Feliciano and Eileen went to the police to report the pair missing. It was the middle of the night in the Netherlands when Lysanne's mother, Dinnie Froon, was awoken by the ringing of the phone. Fear washed over her as she was informed that her daughter had failed to return to her lodgings for the night. Dinnie and her husband Peter called the emergency number for the travel agency that had organised Chris and Lisanne's trip.

The woman there assured the worried parents that the girls had likely gone out for the night and would return soon. It was only when she started making some calls around Boquete on the froon's behalf that they realised the pair hadn't slept at Miriam's the previous night either. It dawned on them. Chris and Lisanne had already been missing for over 24 hours. and Lesanne had already been missing for over 24 hours. Dinny immediately went on the hunt for the Kramer's phone number. It turned out they'd been needing it after all. By the morning of Thursday, April 3, word quickly spread throughout Boquete that two young Dutch women were missing. Locals were eager to join the search, but nobody knew where to look. Chris and Lisanne hadn't told anyone what their plans were for the

previous couple of days, nor had they left a note in their room, sent any texts, or written anything in their diaries about where they intended on going. Although the two had taken smartphones with them, neither device was equipped with a Panamanian SIM card. Chris and Lisanne had simply been using their phones to connect to the internet using wifi, which was how they maintained contact with loved ones back home. Mobile records gave no indication of where they could be, but a check of the internet history at the Spanish school confirmed that the pair had searched for information about a popular hiking trail known as the Pienista. A 10 minute drive outside of town, the Pienista offers visitors the opportunity to walk to the top of the continental divide.

The trail begins across open fields before weaving upwards through dense forests until it reaches the summit known as the Mirador, at roughly 6,500 feet above sea level. On a clear day, the Mirador offers a 360 degree view of the forest canopy stretching all the way to the ocean. For the healthy able-bodied individual, the Pianista can be completed within about 5-6 hours. It's a relatively straightforward, albeit challenging hike, with a single defined track taking individuals all the way to the summit and back down again.

Many people choose to take an experienced tour guide with them, but it's not unusual for travellers to do it without one. Feliciano Gonzalez, the tour guide who'd realised Chris and Lisanne were missing, said that he'd offered to take the pair to the Pianista, but they'd declined. Their online search history suggested that they might have decided to hike it alone. Various witnesses reported having seen a pair matching Chris and Lisanne's description heading towards the pianista on Tuesday April 1. The problem was, no one could say with utmost certainty that the women they'd seen had definitely been the missing Dutch duo. Chris and Lisanne were both white and slender, with strawberry

blonde and light brown hair. They looked similar to many of the other young European backpackers who frequented the area. Complicating things further, no one knew for sure what the pair had been wearing or carrying when they left their guest house on Tuesday morning and witness descriptions of their clothing varied. One witness claimed to have seen Chris and Lisanne waiting for a taxi in town at around 1.45pm. This was supported by a taxi driver who recalled picking the pair up and dropping them off at a hostel called Casa Pedro shortly before 2pm. The hostel was about a 20 minute walk from the Pianista trailhead. According to the owner of the hostel, the duo asked about hiking the Pianista but later

changed their mind, saying they were going to head back into town instead. On the main road in front of the hiking trail was a restaurant called Il Pianista. A restaurant employee claimed to have seen the pair heading up the trail sometime between 3 and 3.30pm. A dog belonging to the restaurant's owners often accompanied tourists on their hikes. According to the employee, the dog followed the women but returned later on, alone. A local woman claimed she saw Chris and Lisan heading up the mountain at around 4.15pm. Concerned that they weren't adequately dressed and that it was getting too late to complete the trek before dark, the woman warned the girls in Spanish not to go up the mountain

alone. They didn't appear to have understood. Volunteer search teams began scouring the Pianista but found no sign of the missing women. If Chris and Lisan were indeed out there, they considered this a little unusual. Although the narrow trail was surrounded on both sides by dense forest, it was designed with tourists in mind and therefore difficult to veer off track. The vegetation surrounding the trail was thick to a point of being almost impenetrable. If one veered off course, they wouldn't be able to go very far, especially if they weren't appropriately dressed. Once hikers reached the summit, they typically turned around and headed back down the mountain the same way they came up. Had Chris or Lisan gotten injured or sick during their hike, common sense dictated that they would

have likely just stayed where they were until someone came by. The trail was managed and monitored by park rangers. Hikers passed through the trail every day, not just tourists but locals and members of the indigenous tribes that lived on the other side of the continental divide. However, the trail didn't technically end at the Mirador. On the other side of the summit, a rugged passage led off the tourist track and onto a precarious web of trails used almost exclusively by members of the indigenous Norbert tribe. This is where things became dicey. If Lassan and Chris had mistakenly decided to walk onwards, they could have gotten lost, especially if they'd miscalculated how much time they had before sundown. The trail was manageable for a

while, but it eventually led into a paddock where the path became difficult to re-establish. Tour guide Feliciano Gonzalez was an expert on the Pianista. Not only did he take many tourists there, his family also owned property on the other side of the divide. Feliciano told the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation that it wasn't possible to lose track of the trail and wander into the forest without noticing. He said, What is possible and what is a risk is that you forget the time and that you keep walking that trail on and on. Had this been the case, the missing women were in danger of succumbing to dehydration, hunger, or the elements. April 1 had been a warm, clear day, but once the sun set, the temperature dropped significantly. Without appropriate gear or clothing, hypothermia posed a genuine risk.

Lassan had asthma and had been struggling with a bad cough. This could have been exacerbated by changes in the altitude or exposure to the elements, which would only get worse in the coming days as the rainy season kicked in. which would only get worse in the coming days as the rainy season kicked in. Search teams traversed the other side of the summit but found no sign of the missing women there either. This added weight to the possibility that the two friends could have completed the hike without incident and disappeared thereafter. One local business owner claimed he saw two women matching the description of Chris and Lisanne coming down the mountain in the late afternoon of April 1, looking tired and grumpy. They asked for the best way to get back to Boquete.

He advised them to take a taxi, but he didn't see which direction they went or what they did from there. Back in the Netherlands, the Kramer's and Froon families did all they could from their end. They reported the disappearance to police in Amersfoort, notified Interpol, and created a Facebook page appealing for information. As the search gained momentum, the families reassured themselves that the duo would likely turn up soon with a valid explanation. But as the search reached its fourth fruitless day, concerns heightened. Panama's National Civil Protection Unit, CINAPROC, took over the mission and called for all the volunteer search parties to stand down. Working on the belief that the pair were lost in the wilderness,

a map was created of all the possible locations that Chris and Lisanne might have visited. 25 routes throughout the Baru National Park that surrounded the Pianista were identified, with a team of 40 Sinoproc rescuers and 35 agents from the National Police tasked with conducting the search. Sniffer dogs were also brought in, but after a week of dry, clear weather, rainy conditions added an extra challenge to the already difficult exploration. It also increased the fears for Chris and Lisanne's wellbeing. While the trails could have been manageable at first, the intense rain turned them into muddy, unforgiving passageways, the babbling streams transforming into rushing rivers. Some small vacant huts along the trails could have provided adequate shelter, but these were

checked and no signs were found to indicate Chris and Lisanne had stayed within. If they'd sought shelter in a cave or crevice somewhere, this would only make them more difficult to find, with any screams for help most likely being absorbed by the surrounding jungle. for help most likely being absorbed by the surrounding jungle. Members of Chris and Lisanne's families flew to Panama to join the search efforts. In a bid to encourage indigenous people from the other side of the continental divide to continue the search, they announced a two and a half thousand dollar reward. Still, the days ticked by with no leads. Some started to criticise Sinaproc's approach, calling for the search to be expanded beyond the National Park and to other areas the missing women might have headed to. If the Dutch women had made it back from the Pianista,

officials could be wasting precious time by not properly exploring other options. By April 14, two weeks had passed with no breakthroughs. If Chris and Lisanne were out in the wilderness, their chances of survival at this point were slim. The intensive search was scaled back, with the investigation handed over to the public ministry. Panamanian and Dutch authorities worked collaboratively to generate leads and provide support to the families. But as each day passed with no new information emerging, the belief that Chris and Lisanne were lost gave way to a new prevailing theory.

That the pair had met with foul play. Casefile will be back shortly. Thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors. This episode of Casefile is sponsored by BetterHelp. Is there something you need to get off your chest? Well you all carry around different stresses, big and small. That's just part of life. It's when we keep these things bottled up that they can start to affect us negatively. Therapy is a safe space where you can get things off your chest and figure out how to work through whatever's weighing you down. The team at Casefile are firm believers in the benefits of therapy. It's not just for those who have experienced major trauma. Therapy can teach you coping skills, help you set boundaries and to give you the space to explore your thoughts and feelings without judgement.

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Tire Discounter Group, Tire Discounter Group.ca. Thank you for listening to this episode's ads. By supporting our sponsors, you support Casefile to continue to deliver quality content. The possibility of foul play had been considered from the outset of the investigation, but it was only when no evidence emerged to suggest otherwise that it really started gaining traction. The foul play theory was mostly born from the belief that Chris and Lisanne would have never willingly ventured into the formidable trails on the other side of the Pianista summit. These were intelligent women who knew they were unprepared for an extended period of time in the wilderness.

As a lawyer hired by the Kramer's family later told the Daily Beast, I hiked it myself, the whole trail. I saw it with my own eyes. They would never have wanted to go on down into that hell. Furthermore, if one of the women had gotten sick or injured, it made sense to think that the other one would have managed to follow the trail back to safety. As investigative journalist Peter De Vries told Dutch current affairs program Een van Dag, it was plausible to think that one of the women could have slipped and fallen into

a ravine, making them difficult to find. It was less likely that this would happen to them both. Given that neither Chris, Lissane or any of their belongings had resurfaced during the search, Peter said, you have to consider the possibility that a third party had a hand in it. The search for the missing women shifted gears into a criminal investigation. There were two leading theories. The first was that Chris and Lisanne had encountered a perpetrator while hiking the pianista who had forced them down the other side of the mountain. Tourists had been robbed on the trail before, so it didn't seem far-fetched to consider that something more sinister could have taken place. The second theory was that Chris and Lisanne had

successfully completed their hike, and it was upon their return to town that they met with Fowplay and were taken to another location. Chris's father told reporters, Chris's father told reporters, We are extremely worried. What worries us most is that somebody could have taken them away with an evil purpose. Rumours swirled that the pair could have been kidnapped for ransom, were being held captive, or had been murdered by an opportunistic predator as part of a sexually or financially motivated attack. The more extreme rumours speculated that they could have been sold by sex traffickers, taken by drug cartels, killed by organ harvesters, or fallen victim to a serial killer. Although there was no evidence to support any particular theory,

Chris and Lisanne's families were taking no chances. With the investigation turned criminal, they began handing out flyers and plastering life-sized banners with their daughters' faces on them around Boguete. They hired a private investigator and created an organisation called The Foundation to Find Lisan and Chris, calling for donations from the public to help fund their ongoing search efforts. Appearing at an informal press conference, Peter Froon told reporters, Dear Lisan and Chris, Please know that we will stay here in Panama until you have been

found. We will wait as long as it takes. And we will not give up. Really, we won't. Have faith in us." Chris's mother, Rawley, refused to believe the worst had happened. To get her through the days, she repeated a mantra over and over in her head. She's alive and she will be found. She's alive and she will be found. The families increased the reward for information to $30,000. This was a significant amount in Panama, enough to ensure a comfortable life. While the previous reward was motivation for volunteers to join the search, the revised amount was intended to entice individuals to report suspicious activity

among their close circles. Dinny Froon told reporters, the coverage has to get bigger. There must be people here who know something." The boosted reward led to an influx of tips, including an unsubstantiated report that two decomposing bodies had been found in the jungle. Nothing brought investigators any closer to the truth, and with more leads trickling in, it became harder for them to stay on top of things. The people of Bokete were deeply affected by what was going on. It was a small community and they felt great sympathy for the loved ones of the missing

women. As the sixth week passed without a solid lead emerging, residents organised a silent march in honour of Chris and Lisanne. The families thanked the people of Panama for their heartfelt support and announced that they'd be working closely with the newly assigned state prosecutor, Betsyda Pitti, who specialised in criminal cases. Citizens of Amersfoort also rallied behind the families, with various organisations holding fundraisers to raise money for the foundation to find Lisan and Chris. By late May, Boggette's rainy season was in full swing. Specialist rescue dogs were flown in from

the Netherlands, but their search was hindered by heavy rainfall. Despite these challenges, the Dutch teams trudged on for eight days, before concluding that there was nothing to indicate that Chris and Lisanne were anywhere in the mountains of Boekhete. Their parents were at a loss for what to do next. By the time the canine team returned to the Netherlands on June 4, Chris and Lisanne had been missing for over two months and not a single clue had emerged to suggest what had happened to them. If they weren't in the mountains, then where were they? Worried sick, the families decided to return to the Netherlands where they could organise more help and figure out their next steps. They didn't have to wait for long. They'd barely been home a week when finally there was the first big break in the case. Irma Mirando was a member of the indigenous Norbert tribe.

Mirando was a member of the indigenous Norbert tribe. She lived in the remote village of Alto Romero which was roughly a 12-hour trek north from the summit of the Pianista. On Wednesday June 11 2014, 10 weeks after Chris and Lisanne were last seen, Irma was washing clothes in the Rio Culebra. Known to English speakers as the Serpent River, the freshwater river earned its name for the snake-like way it spiralled through the region. Emma caught sight of something wedged between some driftwood and rocks of the riverbank. She went to take a closer look. It was a backpack. to take a closer look. It was a backpack. Inside, among other items, was an insurance card. Irma was all too aware that two Dutch women had recently gone missing from the area.

When she saw the name on the card, she recognised it immediately. Lisan Froon. Irma and her husband took the backpack to the home of a local cattle rancher who contacted the authorities on their behalf. The following day, a helicopter was dispatched to Outer Romero to collect the lightweight Burton-brand daypack. Save for some dirt, scratch marks and discoloration, it was in relatively good condition. One of the straps was partially loose and there were some small holes and tears, but the contents remained intact. This included Lissane's Samsung Galaxy smartphone, Chris' iPhone, Lissane's digital camera, two bras, two pairs of sunglasses, a water bottle, and $83 in cash.

Lisan was an amateur photographer and she'd been using the Canon PowerShot SX270 camera to document their trip since the beginning. The camera contained a 16GB memory card, which was still accessible despite being exposed to water. Investigators watched with anticipation as the images began to load. The photos proved that Lisan and Chris did indeed hike the Pianista on Tuesday April 1, 2014, but the pictures didn't align with the witness sightings that had previously been provided. A taxi driver said he'd dropped the Dutch women off near the Pianista just before 2pm, with various witnesses then claiming to have seen the duo climbing up the mountain between 3 and 4.15pm. Each of the photos contained a digital

timestamp which proved that they'd actually started the hike at 11am. Straight off the bat, this debunked the timeline that investigators had been working with since the very start of the women's disappearance. From Chris and Lisanne's attire, it was clear they didn't set out for anything other than a leisurely hike. Both women were dressed in shorts and tank tops, carrying nothing between them except Lissane's backpack. They wore hiking boots but had no hats, jackets, or protective gear. Lissane captured the scenery as they made their way up the trail, with Chris often stopping to pose ahead of her. It was a bright, sunny day and the two friends looked happy. Metadata showed that they reached the Mirador summit at 1pm. A series of elated selfies captured Chris and

Lisan grinning proudly as they gave the thumbs up symbol, showing off the epic landscape stretching behind them. Up until this point, there was nothing out of the ordinary about their actions, and their photos indicated they were alone on the trail. But from there on in, that all changed. Photos showed that Chris and Elisan did indeed travel onwards down the indigenous trails on the other side of the divide, away from Boquete. A photo taken after they'd left the summit showed Chris crossing over a stream and heading further downhill. Specialists familiar with the area identified this spot as less than an hour's hike from the top of the summit in the wrong direction. There was nothing in the pictures to

indicate why they'd continued onwards, but some interpreted the expression on Chris's face as no longer being happy and carefree. From there, things only got stranger. For eight days, there were no more photos. Then on Tuesday, April 8 at 1.29am, the camera sprung back into action. Over a period of almost three hours, 90 similar images of near total darkness were captured. Some were taken just seconds apart, others several minutes. Only one image captured anything other than blackness. It was the back of someone's head, presumably Kris Kramer's, her long strawberry blonde hair filling the entire shot.

In a bid to make sense of the night time photos, investigators resized the images and manipulated their brightness levels. Although they were still dark, this allowed them to make out some of the items in the frame. Numerous bright specks indicated it had been raining at the time the photos were taken, which aligned with the recorded weather patterns from the time in question. Several of the images captured what appeared to be trees, foliage, moss-covered rocks and large boulders. In one photo, a twig with red plastic attached to it had been placed on the

rock face, seemingly intentionally, like some kind of marker. Another photo captured several pieces of what looked like intentionally torn up rubbish sitting on the rock face. From the positioning of the angle, it appeared that the photos had been taken by someone who was either sitting or lying down and facing the camera slightly upwards. Most of the images had been taken with a steady hand, indicating they were intentional and not taken under duress. The natural surroundings suggested the images had been taken on a riverbed or cliff face, but there was no clear landmark to indicate exactly where. A straight line visible in some of the photos was speculated to be a cable from one of the

few makeshift bridges, known as monkey bridges, used by the indigenous locals to cross from one side of the Serpent River to the other. This bridge was deep into the forest, several miles from where the last photo of Chris was taken on April 1. With the back of Chris' head visible in one shot, it was plausible to assume Lisan was the one taking the photos. But this couldn't be said with certainty as she didn't appear in a single image. Furthermore, because Chris's face wasn't visible, there was nothing to prove what kind of state she

was in or that she was even alive at the time the photo was taken. A whole week had passed between the last photo of Chris crossing the stream and the night time images, yet Chris's hair appeared clean and dry. Nothing in the photos or the backpack presented a single clue as to what had happened to the women during that unaccounted for chunk of time. If they had gotten lost or injured, why suddenly take 90 photos a week later, in the middle of the night no less? Some of the mysterious night time photos were published in the media, prompting a deluge of theories from members of the public as to what they could mean. Theories ranged from the practical

to the supernatural, with many comparing the images to scenes from the supernatural horror film, The Blair Witch Project. Some speculated that Lissane could have been using the flash of her camera as a source of light and had simply been taking the photos to get a better view of her surroundings. The problem with this theory was that the images had all been taken from practically the same spot. The photographer didn't seem to be attempting to move or find their way around. Others speculated that Lisan or Chris could have been using the flash of the camera to signal for help.

But this didn't explain why the images had been taken from underneath foliage. If the women were trying to grab someone's attention, it made sense to assume they would have moved out into the open if they were physically able to. Others theorised that Chris and Lisanne knew they were about to die and were taking the photos as some kind of message to whoever found the camera. But Lisanne's camera had plenty of battery life left on it and was also capable of taking videos. If they were on the brink of death, why not take a clearer photograph or record a message for their families explaining what

had happened to them? With no such message, this led to the more sinister theories. What if it wasn't Lisan or Chris who took the photos at all, but someone else entirely? Casefile will be back shortly. Thank you for supporting us by listening to this episode's sponsors. The new Michelin Defender 2 tyre is designed to outlast. With a quiet and comfortable ride, you'll have the confidence you need on the roads, whether they're wet or dry. Find a Michelin Tire Dealer by visiting Tire Discounter Group's Tread Experts Dealer Locator at TireDiscounterGroup.ca slash locations.

Tire Discounter Group, TireDiscounterGroup.ca Thank you for listening to this episode's ads. By supporting our sponsors, you support Casefile to continue to deliver quality content. With none of the photos providing any definitive answers about what happened to Chris Cramer's and Lisanne Froon, all possibilities remained open. With the discovery of the backpack, at the very least, investigators now had a specific area to hone in on. The portion of the Serpent River near Alto Romero was particularly difficult to reach and even harder to navigate. While members of Sinaproc were dispatched to join the search, a team of locals from the Norbear tribe led by tour guide Feliciano Gonzalez also began scouring the area,

as they knew the forest better than anyone. Just days after the backpack was recovered, on Wednesday June 18, they were scouring the riverbank a little further upstream from where the backpack was found when they were hit with a distinct smell. Following the odour behind a tree, they found a woman's hiking boot, its laces still tied, and the intact remains of a left foot inside. On the other side of the riverbed was the left part of a human pelvis bone. While the bones were taken away for forensic testing, a member of the Norbert search party headed further up the river, back towards the second monkey bridge in the area.

There, they found Chris Kramer's denim shorts, unzipped and unbuttoned. Reports differ as to where exactly this discovery was made and whether the shorts were in the water or on the riverbank. Regardless, it led to the question of how they came to be there. Had Chris intentionally taken them off for some reason? Had she fallen while attempting to cross the river? or had they been forcibly removed? DNA testing confirmed that the foot was Lissane Froon's. The broken pelvic bone was later confirmed to have come from Chris Kramer's. With confirmation that the duo were deceased, but still nothing to clarify what happened

to them, the investigation was declared a crime against personal integrity. For the families, this news was met with mixed feelings. On one hand, they were relieved to finally have some answers about where the two women had ended up. On the other hand, they were plagued by questions about how they got there and who or what caused their deaths. The families announced that they intended to continue the search until it became clear what happened. A statement released on their behalf said, too many questions remain unanswered for the families to find peace of mind. Too little has been uncovered from Chris and Lisanne to give up the search or to be able to say their farewells. We will focus our attention

on two different aspects of the search. What exactly happened to Chris and Lisanne and what can we recover from them? We want to figure out what exactly happened to them and whether third parties have been involved." With poor weather hindering the search of the already inhospitable area, the parents said they were waiting to see what data could be recovered from their daughter's electronics. They thanked the public, media and Panamanian authorities for their ongoing support, but requested that the press refrain from speculation and stick to the facts. It took weeks before any usable data could be extracted from the smartphones belonging to Chris and Lisanne.

When it finally was, this only raised more questions. The last photo of Kris Kramer's, which showed her walking onwards down the mountain, had been taken at 1.54pm on April 1, 2014. Call logs revealed that at 4.39pm, Kris' iPhone was used to call 112, the International Emergency Services number for the European Union. This emergency number was designed to be accessible even without a SIM card and also worked overseas, but the call failed to connect due to lack of reception. 12 minutes later, Lissande's Samsung was also used to call 112. This too was unsuccessful.

Both phones were switched off shortly after. Investigators failed to make sense of this. The call logs indicated that something bad must have happened in the two and a half hours between the last photo being taken and the first emergency call being placed. But nothing on the camera or the phones indicated what that could have been. This raised the question, what could be serious enough to warrant calling emergency services, waiting 12 minutes before trying again, and then giving up entirely? The following morning, on April 2, both phones were powered back on and used to call both 112 and the local emergency number 911.

Again, the calls failed due to lack of reception and were switched back off. Lissane's phone was switched on that evening and left on overnight, but no further calls were made from this device. It was turned on and off intermittently the following day, before the battery went flat on the morning of April 4. Chris's iPhone made its last attempt to call 911 on the morning of April 3. After that, it was switched on and off a few times each day, presumably seeking a signal, but no calls were made and at no point did it connect with a local cell phone tower.

A PIN code was needed to access Chris' iPhone. On the morning of April 5, the PIN code was entered correctly for the last time. That night and the following day of April 6, the iPhone was turned on and off, but the correct PIN code was never punched in again. The phone remained off for the next five days, including on April 8, the date the unexplained night photos were taken. On April 11, the iPhone was switched back on at 10.50am without the PIN code being entered. An hour later, at 11.50am, the iPhone was turned off for good despite still having battery power.

Neither of the phones contained any clues such as goodbye messages, unsent texts or voice memos, to explain what had happened after the women crossed the Mirador. Investigators couldn't figure out why the attempts to use the phones had been so sporadic. Had Chris and Lisanne been in genuine trouble, one would assume there would have been more attempts to get service and call for help earlier on. And why, all of a sudden, was Chris' PIN code no longer entered correctly? Was this simply because she switched the phone on and then off again upon realising she couldn't get a signal? Or was it because Chris herself was no longer in possession of the phone? If Chris had perished and Lisanne was in fact the one trying to use the iPhone, how did that explain photos of the back of Chris' head taken three days

later? It wasn't just the phone data that had investigators scratching their heads. As the Dutch team scrutinised the data from Lisanne's camera, they realised that one image was missing from the sequence. The image of Chris crossing the stream on the afternoon of April 1 had been labelled as photo number 508. Photo number 510 was the first of the nighttime shots taken on April 8. 10 was the first of the night time shots taken on April 8. Photo 509, the image that bridged the gap between the normal daytime photos and the mysterious night time photos, was missing. When a photo is manually deleted off a digital camera, the file can usually be restored using special software when connected to a computer. Despite significant efforts, the Dutch experts were unable to restore deleted image 509. Analysis of Lisanne's camera

determined she wasn't in the habit of deleting photos herself, even if they weren't the best shots, so it seemed unlikely that she had deleted it on purpose. Speaking to the Afrotros TV network, one Dutch investigator said, Photo 509 could give us a clue as to what happened, and it is a real shame that we have not been able to retrieve anything from this photo. We do not know when this photo was taken, whether on April 1st or at another moment in time, or why it was deleted. A glitch in the system seemed unlikely, as experts could typically restore at least a fraction of a deleted photo. This led to speculation that it could have been permanently deleted by Panamanian investigators who first

had access to the camera, either by accident or on purpose. Boquete's economy relied on tourism. If the pitcher captured something incriminating that could deter people from visiting the area, some believed the authorities had a good reason to want to keep it quiet. By late August 2014, several more bones were found scattered further downstream of the Serpent River. One was confirmed to have come from Chris Kramer's right rib, while two others were identified as Lysand Frun femur and tibia.

No official reports have ever been released regarding the autopsies, but some of the information has been leaked to the media by anonymous sources. Dutch author Juergen Snorren was given access to the full case file while researching the story for a book he co-wrote called Lost in the Jungle. According to Jurgen, Lisanne's metatarsal bones, the small bones at the forefront of her foot, were fractured in three places. Signs of healing indicated these fractures had occurred while Lisanne was still alive. Both of her leg bones showed signs of periocitis.

This condition is caused by repetitive stress and it results in inflammation of the tissue surrounding the tibia. Symptoms include intense pain, limited mobility, fever, and chills. Combined with the broken bones in her feet, this meant Lisan wouldn't have been able to walk very far after sustaining the injuries. But what caused those injuries and when remained up for speculation. The marrow in Lissane's leg bones was still intact, indicating the bones were only in the early stage of decomposition. This was in stark contrast to the condition of Chris's rib bone, which was pale white, or what some describe as being bleached. Bone bleaching can be caused by two things, extended exposure to sunlight, or exposure to a chemical such as lime. Lime can occur naturally

in the environment and is a key ingredient in fertil fertilizer, but it can also be used in criminal cases to speed up human decomposition. None of the bones provided a clear indication as to what caused Chris or Lissane's death. Lissane's autopsy determined that her broken metatarsal bones were likely caused by a fall from a high place, but this couldn't be said with certainty. Such injuries can also result from repeated stress or by being crushed with a hard object. Breaks like the one in Chris's pelvis could also be attributed to a fall from a great height, but this bone showed no signs of healing, indicating she was likely already dead when this injury occurred. Ultimately, none of the bones showed any signs of violence. This detail, combined with the data from the camera and phones, gave the Panamanian authorities

enough information to release an official ruling. They determined that Kris and Lissane had likely gotten lost after venturing onwards past the peak of the Pianista. At some point, they either fell to their deaths or succumbed to a combination of injuries, hunger, exhaustion, and the elements. Had they died near the river bank, their remains could have started to decompose before the rising water levels caused by heavy rainfall eventually reached them and carried them away. In the river, contact with rocks, boulders and scavengers eventually led to their bodies breaking into pieces and being scattered throughout. The majority of the remains likely flowed into the larger tributaries of the Changinola River, never to be recovered. The Kramer's family wouldn't accept this explanation. There were

simply too many unanswered questions. If the pair got lost, why didn't they leave anything to mark their presence on the trail? How could they have been out there for so long without crossing paths with at least one of the 20 or so locals, cattle ranchers or tour guides who passed through the area each week, while also going undetected by search parties? Chris's parents, Hans and Rorley, hired a local team and set out on a hike over the Pianista to see it with their own eyes. They concluded there was no way Chris and Lissane could have gotten lost that first day, even if they'd ventured a few hours beyond the summit. To them, the trail was clear the entire way, and there was nowhere one could sustain an

immobilising fall in a timeframe consistent with the emergency calls. They didn't discount the possibility that Chris and Lisanne had first called emergency services because they'd crossed paths with someone with criminal intent. A forensic anthropologist who worked on the investigation also disagreed with the official ruling. Speaking anonymously to the Daily Beast, they said that the bones showed no signs of animal scavenging or any marks to indicate they'd been broken up by river rocks. They didn't believe it was possible that the bodies could have become completely detached within just seven or eight weeks, or that Chris's remains had been exposed to sunlight long enough for bleaching to have occurred naturally. As another forensic expert told the Daily Beast, an American

hiker who died in the St Forest under similar circumstances was found two years after going missing. His skeleton was still 90% intact and none of his bones showed any signs of bleaching. The only explanation, some argued, was human intervention. The Kramer's urged the Panamanian authorities to hold on to Chris's remains and keep the case open until more thorough conclusions could be drawn. Meanwhile, Lisan Froon's remains were returned to the Netherlands and she was formally laid to rest, with her family saying it was with great pain in their hearts that they had to let Lisan go. The Kramer's felt that enough of Chris' remains hadn't yet been found to warrant a burial, with her mother telling Dutch reporters,

It is very difficult to say goodbye when you have so little of your daughter and when you have the feeling that more is to be found. In January 2015, a Dutch forensic team travelled to Panama at the request of the Kramer's family. Aided by local guides and sniffer dogs, they followed the trail Chris and Lisanne were known to have walked, and they too concluded it was highly unlikely the pair had gotten lost. Lead investigator Frank van derhoort said,

Yet the team also ruled out foul play, concluding, The geographical conditions, the social conditions, and the technical facts as emerged from the forensic investigation make a crime in the form of a robbery, sex crime, violent crime, or kidnapping very unlikely. They determined the most probable explanation was that Lisan and Chris had slipped somewhere towards the end of the mountain's descent, landing near the riverbed, where the night photos were later taken. According to the Dutch team, quote, "...in the event of a fall at this location, there is a huge height difference of 30 to 40 meters, which makes the risk of injury very likely. height difference of 30 to 40 metres, which makes the risk of injury very likely. Moreover, the stream is surrounded on both sides by waterfalls and the bed is surrounded by a steep rock wall of several metres. They concluded that climbing out would have been near impossible without the proper tools, leading to eventual death. Given the changing water levels and the amount of time

that had passed since the two friends disappeared, the Dutch team deemed it unlikely that any more of their remains would ever be uncovered. Seemingly satisfied with this explanation, Chris's family announced they would finally arrange a funeral. In a statement released on their website, they said, As a family, we are relieved that we now finally have a possible and plausible explanation for all the questions we had surrounding Chris's death. We would like to thank everyone who has worked to find an answer to the question of what could happen to Chris and Lisanne since their disappearance on April 1 last year, for their dedication and commitment to achieving this result together with us.

Despite this conclusion, the mysterious disappearance of Chris Kramer's and Lisanne Froon remains a hotly debated topic among reporters, amateur sleuths and forensic professionals. Even the lawyer hired by the Kramer's family, Enrique Orocha, believed something more suspicious was at play. In 2016, he told the Daily Beast, The official version of the story makes no sense. The evidence seems to have been manipulated in order to hide something. At the very least, there should have been a criminal investigation. Enrique wanted to take the case to the International Court of Justice, but the Kramer's family declined. Countless online message boards are dedicated to a wide array of theories, with individuals putting

hours of their own time into conducting their own detailed research into various elements of the case. Every facet has been thoroughly pulled apart and examined by online sleuths, with suspicion cast on certain individuals who cropped up during the course of the investigation. Allegations that Lisan and Chris were killed by locals and the crime was then covered up by various townsfolk have been fuelled by such events as the taxi driver who claimed to have dropped the duo at the trail, also dying under suspicious circumstances just a year later. Almost every possibility has been speculated and debated, including far-fetched supernatural theories and the outlandish possibility that the pair crossed paths with cannibals.

Proponents of the foul play theory cite various unusual elements for why they didn't accept that Chris and Lisanne died as a result of accident or misadventure. At the core is the belief that the duo wouldn't have wandered so far down the other side of the mountain at their own free will. Many believe the women were ordered down, were running away from someone, or were captured and held captive somewhere before being murdered. Others believe they left the Pianista and were then met with foul play. But as sceptics to this theory argue, what was the motive? No ransom was ever demanded and Lisanne's backpack still contained electronics and $83 in cash, ruling out theft or financial gain. If the crime was sexually motivated, why would a violent

perpetrator let them keep possession of their phones? Why didn't they destroy the camera? And how could a killer have navigated the treacherous forest while also maintaining control over two grown women and avoiding detection by the search parties. To many, if the deaths really were an accident, it simply didn't make sense that Kris and Lisan had been found in pieces, that so few of their remains had been recovered, and that they were in such varying stages of decay. How could their remains be so damaged while the possessions in their backpack were perfectly intact? Several forensic professionals, journalists and survival experts have voiced their skepticism

about these facts. Yet, in direct contrast, others in the same fields have said the different rates of decomposition are to be expected. Talking to the Daily Beast, forensic anthropologist Dr Cathy Reichs explained that the rainforest Chris and Lassane perished in had many micro-environments. There, differences in river currents, flora growth, animal scavenging and sun exposure could result in body parts decomposing at different rates. Some resources also say that the bones did show signs of animal scavenging and that Chris's bone bleaching was well within expected natural parameters. Either way, the question remains as to why neither of the women left behind a photo, video, message or clue to explain what happened to them,

especially as the days progressed and their situation became more dire. In a case where every detail leads to more questions, many agree that the Panamanian authorities poorly handled the case from the outset. One of the biggest issues is that a proper chain of custody was never established and adequate care wasn't taken to protect the forensic integrity of the evidence. For example, it has been reported that as many as 30 foreign fingerprints were found on Lissane's backpack and belongings that were never recorded or tested. These failures, along with the lack of transparency, has led to ongoing accusations of corruption and a criminal cover-up. Adela Couriat, a journalist for leading Panamanian newspaper,

La Estrella, told the Daily Beast, quote, "...it's a sad fact, but serious investigation was never done by the public ministry. Everything had to be hushed up to protect tourism. The victims deserve justice, and the families deserve to know what really happened. Another of the major problems with this case is that over the years, many details have been either lost or misinterpreted in translation as information cycles between Dutch, Spanish and English. This, coupled with the lack of official information that has been released, has led to incorrect details being continuously regurgitated as fact, resulting in widespread misinformation. One such example is that in October 2014, an article published by La Estrella claimed that when Lissane's thigh bones were recovered,

a ball of her skin was also found which barely showed any signs of decomposition. However, the skin was later determined to have come from an animal. La Estrella updated their original article, but this myth about Lissande's so-called ball of skin continues to be regurgitated and used to propel speculation. Another widely misconstrued detail is that Chris's denim shorts were found zipped and neatly folded on a rock. detail is that Chris's denim shorts were found zipped and neatly folded on a rock. Dutch correspondent Mark Bessams was living in Panama when Chris and Lisanne first went missing. He explained to the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation that many of the rumours circulating around Boekhete were picked up in the Netherlands and reported by the press as proper facts. picked up in the Netherlands and reported by the press as proper facts. Mark said,

"...for the first time in my career I was in the middle of a media storm. In practice, this means that you have to correct incorrect messages from the Netherlands very often. The truth is that we know few facts. As difficult as it is to accept, we simply did not know, and to this day, we simply do not know exactly what happened. Opinions on Panama's handling of this case differ as widely as the theories about what happened to the Dutch women. Lead prosecutor Betside Apiti has come under fire for what many view as a botched investigation, while others praise investigators in what's been called one of the biggest search and rescue missions ever undertaken in Panama. The Kramer's have voiced disappointment with both sides of the investigation. In 2019, Chris's father Hans told Dutch magazine Preve that he could write an encyclopedia about

all the mistakes that were made, saying, There were many loose ends. In my opinion, and that of many others, many mistakes have been made. I can still get very mad about it, but what's the point? There's no point in talking in hindsight. We have to live with the fact that our daughter is no longer here. There is still some debate about the area where the night time photos were taken. If the location designated by both the Dutch and Panamanian forensic teams is correct, it raises the haunting possibility that a search team passed by Chris and Lisanne a few days after they disappeared. At a time, their phone activity indicates at least one of them was still alive.

In 2017, Peter Froon told BNN documentary Break Free that rescue dogs signified that they sensed something at the time, but it wasn't a strong enough indication for their handlers to pursue it. Chris' brother publicly shut this possibility down, saying the search team were only in the area weeks later, at a time when Chris and Lisanne were no longer alive. weeks later, at a time when Chris and Lisanne were no longer alive. It is understood that the Cramer's and Froon families have differing opinions about the case and have parted ways. Regardless, neither of them supported a renewed investigation, with both families choosing to move on and accept the fact that Chris and Lisanne are no longer here. When the pair were still missing, the Cramers family kept a small shrine for Chris adorned with photos, candles, and a

postcard she sent from Panama, which they called the Table of Hope. After it was confirmed that Chris was no longer alive, they maintained the shrine but renamed it Chris's Little Place. Chris's father told Privé magazine, "...We picked life back up and will think about our dear daughter every day, no matter what. Nobody can take that feeling away from us. Lissane's family accept the theory that the girls died by accident. As Lissane's brother Martijn told the hosts of the Dutch talk show Pau, if there is anything positive that I can take from this whole story, it is that they died a natural death. I do not want to think about a scenario where they ended up in prostitution,

or in the hands of human traffickers or something. Back when Chris and Lissane first went missing, there was nothing at the top of the Pianista summit to mark the peak of the trail. A sign has since been erected warning tourists not to go any further. Alongside it sits a memorial for Lysanne Froon and Chris Cramer's, which lists the date of their deaths as April 1, the day they went missing. Over the years, some have criticised Lysanne and Chris for making a naive decision to venture into the wilderness without taking the right precautions. The Froon family rejects this notion, instead praising the bravery the pair showed when the odds were stacked against them. Chris' brother, Martijn, told the Break Free documentary,

Things are said so easily without thinking. When someone gets his wallet stolen in the centre of Amsterdam, you can't say that that person probably deserved it because he hadn't been more careful, or naive, or dumb for keeping his wallet in his pocket. Such things just happen, and a big fat bad luck. When you look closely at Chris and Lisisan's nature and in which manner they made choices in life, then I just know that they made the right decision. By deciding to take the step and go and do something beautiful. Music