Renaud Hardy was born on April 1, 1962, in Mechelen, Belgium.

On September 16, 2015, Linda Doms was murdered in Zemst, Flemish Brabant. Her body was found a few days later by a neighbor. Investigators interviewed several people, including Renaud Hardy, a former friend of Doms. At first, there was no evidence linking Hardy to the crime, so he was released. However, police later discovered images on Hardy's memory card that showed the crime scene. He was rearrested on September 21, 2015.

During this arrest, the court in Mechelen reopened investigations into older cases. DNA evidence connected Hardy to the murder of 82-year-old Marie Walschaerts in Leest in May 2014. It also linked him to an attempted murder in Bonheiden in September 2014. Hardy was suspected of attacking Belgian actress Veerle Eyckermans in February 2015. Furthermore, he was considered responsible for the murder of an 85-year-old woman in Boortmeerbeek in December 2011.

A week before Linda Doms' murder, Hardy had been arrested for shooting a passerby with an air gun. He later stated that he felt an urge to harm her as he saw her riding a bike. In 2007, doctors diagnosed Hardy with Parkinson's disease, which was discussed during his trial. Some media referred to him as "The Parkinson's Murderer." Experts suggested that medication for his condition might have influenced his actions.

The trial started on February 9, 2018. After nearly a month of proceedings, on March 8, 2018, Hardy was found guilty by a people's jury. He received a life sentence for his crimes.