Classic Viral Photo: Google Maps Murder – or Wet Dog?

A 2013 viral image from Google Maps allegedly captured a bloody murder scene on a dock in the Netherlands. Is it real or fake?

The photo is real, but it depicts a trail left by a wet dog.

One caption often included with this image suggests that the photo shows a man dragging a body into a lake. Others proposed that it showed a person with a dog next to a dead body. Some believed it showd a trail of blood leading up to the “murder scene.”

An internet fact page states, “You can see what is allegedly 2 guys dragging a dead body into a lake.”

What Actually Happened

After this story originally broke in 2013, many in the media sought answers, and The Sun was the first to find the source of the photo. As it turns out, this “murder scene” was actually the work of a 5-year old dog who had taken a swim. Owner Jacquelina Koenen explained that the dog jumped off the end of the dock, swam to shore, ran back up to the dock toward her. The dog then shook the water out of his fur, creating the trail and large wet spot seen in the images.

Koenen stated, “He jumps off the end of the jetty, swims round to the bridge and runs down to the edge again. It’s hilarious that everyone thought it was murder. But it’s great he’s now world famous.” Local police gave the following statement to The Sun: “It’s not a murder. It’s a dog.”

If you’d like to see the image in Google Maps, go to maps.google.com and enter 52.376552,5.198303 into the search bar. You will find yourself viewing Beatrixpark in Almere, The Netherlands.

Thanks to this blogger for additional info on this story. 

Here is an enlargement the area of the image in question:

Bottom Line

Although a dog taking a swim isn’t quite as exciting as a murder scene, that is boring truth of this photo. Nearly three years after the photo was explained, “fact” pages continue to circulate the photo with the erroneous back story.

Updated December 8, 2015
Originally published April 18, 2013