july 26, 2022
Today the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad published an article about the Panamanian guide Feliciano Gonzalez, the false accusations and statements described in this article were a trigger for us to write Lost in the Jungle.
We step back in time to December 2020 when word came out that the Panamanian guides were threaten with their lives. The owner of a YouTube channel accused people in Boquete of Photoshopping images from Lisannes camera to hide their role in the deaths of these young women. Allthough we warned the legal department of YouTube and filed a complaint at the Dutch police, nothing could be done. The hands of the Dutch police were tied because victimes were Panamanians, and YouTube only removed one film (and for another reason).
In Lost in the jungle we describe our search for the truth that starts on the internet where names like Gonzalez pops up in fora world wide multiple times. In our book we quote David Bowie: The internet is an alien life form. In earlier days a newspaper would end up in the litter bin, but nowadays words can be read on the internet for decades, including false accusations.
Our book is not the only one written about this case. There are five others, most of them self publised. One has the title: 666, that doesn´t need any comment. Another one is written by a French woman who spend time as a tourist in Gonzalez house. According to fora users like Reddit she calls her host a murderer. We never read the book, but we did speak with the author in November 2019. Back then she couldn´t back up here story. Her book is published by a French publishing house.
We strongly believe in freedom of speech, but we also believe, quite strongly, that people are innocent until proven guilty. You can´t just simply point your finger to someone and tell the world he´s a killer.
Now we take a step back in time again. The Netflix documentary The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel is about the mysterious and tragic death of Elisa Lam who´s body was found in a rooftop water tank after guests complained about black water running out of their hotel bathroom tap. In this case a Mexican singer that goes by the name Morbid was wrongly accused of murdering Elisa. His career and his live were broken thanks to web sleuths. We spoke to Morbid while writing Lost in the jungle, for we saw the same thing happening in the case of Kris and Lisanne; people were being wrongly accused.
Documentaries like the one about Elisa Lam will never convince everyone, but to quote somebody who was involved as a spokesman in the Kris and Lisanne case: even if you convince five percent you, it´s worth while.
We, the authors, are strongly convinced that guides like Gonzalez were just people who helped big time to find the women, and are not perpetrators. Evidence, that is mentioned in our book, showed that to us.
Lost in the jungle, a dramatic tale about the disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon in Panama, is without a doubt one of the beste ’true crime’ novels I have read in the past years. The question at hand being if we can be sure there even was a crime? Or could it have been a tragic and fatal accident? The writers have thoroughly investigated and reconstructed this case and have come up with surprising discoveries. The reader follows the investigation every step of the way. This book is a real page-turner. It is a fascinating quest for the truth, combing through every fact and detail and a absolute must for detectives, sleuths and journalists. The latter having already overturned themselves with this case.
Peter R. de Vries – well known Dutch crime investigating journalist
Lost in the jungle is an elaborate research story about the disappearance and death of two young women in the Panamanian wilderness. The reader rides a long on this thorough investigation, following every step that leads to their merciless ending. Even though the topic is very well known it is hard to stop reading this book. It is a real page-turner.
Nadette de Visser – author and investigating journalist (The Daily Beast)
Ashtonishingly detailed without rushing or overly dramatizing the story. A narration that seems to have finally, after ruling out every conspiracy, questioning and suggestion, revealed the truth.
Frank van de Goot – forensic pathologist
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Ricardo Soto Escamilla, with his rescue dogs Layla (left) and Lexy (right, in training) is the interpreter for Lost in the Jungle and working as a volunteer with Rescue Dogs RHWW.
Crime investigator Peter R. de Vries died today, July 15 2021, after a brutal attack on his life a week earlier.
We’re very proud of the quote he gave us for our book, and we’re so sorry for his family and friends.
The world has lost an honest journalist.
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