With deep sadness
We sadly announce that Petrus has passed away on March 20th 2025 after a short sick bed. We remember Petrus as a loving partner, father and grandfather. He was a happy whistler, always curious and a bit obstinate in his own way. He loved his wild roaming holidays where he hiked, biked and camped freely in the forests, free as a drifter. He was very committed to his research and his writing. He helped numerous young researchers and authors with their publications. Many of them joined his colloquium group which lasted for 25 years. He was an avid gardener, who also took it up him to make the neighbourhood greener. During his busy schedule of gardening and writing he took care of his grandchildren, overlooking their homework and helping them in every way he could. With all his daily routines, he kept a keen eye on the clock and made sure that his numerous antique clocks kept chiming on the hour. We are very grateful for all the time we have spent together with him.
You are welcome to share your condolences here.
Elise Beenakkers
Freija and Angelo
Machteld, David, Hugo, Joost and Katie
5 Replies to “With deep sadness”
Petrus was a dear friend and supportive colleague. I first met him at the first Cross- Border Crime Colliquium in Prague in 1999. Petrus was the driving force behind the colloquium and encouraged young and not so young researchers to attend and publish their work. He was an outstanding scholar and a wonderful human being. I shall miss him terribly.
Beste familie,
Mede namens de collega’s van de vakgroep strafrecht van Tilburg University breng ik de meest welgemeende condoleances over.
Ik was promovendus toen Petrus als hoogleraar in Tilburg werkte en herinner hem nog goed. Ik herinner me het fluiten in de gang, de vouwfiets en de warrige rode haardos. Petrus ‘was his own man’; hij ging zijn eigen gang en was altijd goed gemutst. Een bijzonder mens. May he rest in peace.
Hartelijke groet,
Elies van Sliedregt
Het treurige bericht heeft mij bereikt dat mijn promotor Petrus C. van Duyne op donderdag 20 maart 2025 is overleden. Petrus was een markant persoon die altijd duidelijk maakte hoe belangrijk het is om kritisch te zijn. In de wetenschap heeft hij zijn sporen meer dan verdiend, vooral op het gebied van financieel-economische criminaliteit en georganiseerde misdaad. De laatste publicatie die ik met hem heb geschreven is verschenen in het Liber amicorum van John Verveel, getiteld: ‘Demarcation-free thinking in criminology: The case of undermining criminality or criminal undermining’. Ik vind het treurig dat ik niet meer met hem samen kan schrijven, maar ik ben dankbaar voor alle lessen die ik van hem heb mogen leren.
Petrus, ik wens jou een behouden vaart!
Petrus was at the origin of my academic and scientific work with Transcrime. Everyone at our center knew him because we had invited him to Trento many times when Transcrime was based there. Everyone remembers him and his brilliant, charismatic nature.
One particular episode stands out in my memory. We were at a conference in Minsk together. I was chairing a session where Petrus was supposed to be the first speaker at 2 p.m., but he didn’t show up. After waiting for half an hour, he finally arrived—almost drunk. And yet, when he began speaking, even in that state, he was nothing short of brilliant. I’ve never heard such an impressive presentation before or since.
Petrus was not just a colleague but also a dear friend, and I have deeply missed him.
Ernesto Savona
Ik zie Petrus nog aankomen bij het pand van het Landelijk Recherche Team (LRT) om ons bij te staan in het verhoor van de hoofdverdachte in ons onderzoek!
Sympathiek en met een eigen mening!