Do you know who killed Gisbert \Ben\ Kistemaker in 1979?
In the spring of 1979, a 26-year-old Dutch national, Gisbert "Ben" Kistemaker, a Caucasian male, embarked on an adventure across the United States. After arriving in New York in May, he purchased a faded blue and white 1968 Chevy van and began a journey that would take him through various states. Known for his friendly nature, Kistemaker often picked up hitchhikers as he traveled. His intended route was to head to California and then travel north along the coast through Oregon and Washington, with the ultimate goal of visiting a friend in British Columbia, Canada.
The initial signs that something was amiss came on September 22, 1979, when Kistemaker's van was discovered abandoned near mile marker 233 on Highway 101 in Oregon. Receipts found inside the vehicle indicated that he had traveled at least as far north as the Seattle area. His passport and other personal belongings were still in the van, but Kistemaker was nowhere to be found. This discovery marked the beginning of a mystery that would linger for months.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1979, the search for Gisbert Kistemaker came to a tragic end. A group of hunters stumbled upon his body in a remote, old gravel pit off Rockport Cascade Road, about three miles from Rockport in Skagit County, Washington. An investigation determined that his death was a homicide caused by a gunshot. Despite the discovery of his body and the clear evidence of foul play, no suspects have ever been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in the case. The death of the young traveler remains an open and unsolved investigation in Skagit County.
