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Woman Killed: Finally Movement in Two Cold Cases - On the Trail of Murderers?
🇩🇪 Germany /Crime & Justice

Woman Killed: Finally Movement in Two Cold Cases - On the Trail of Murderers?

From Die Zeit · (1h ago) German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A 70-year-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the 1985 murder of a 31-year-old woman in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
  • The suspect is believed to have committed the crime to cover up a sexual offense, with a DNA trace from 1985 being a crucial piece of evidence.
  • The arrest offers hope for solving one of Germany's many unsolved "cold cases," with investigators examining seized evidence and re-evaluating existing findings.

In a significant breakthrough for law enforcement in Baden-Württemberg, a 70-year-old man has been taken into custody on suspicion of brutally murdering a 31-year-old woman in February 1985. This development brings renewed hope to the investigation of one of Germany's many lingering "cold cases," a category that includes over 350 unsolved mysteries in the region.

There is a strong suspicion that he brutally murdered the then 31-year-old woman in February 1985.

— Police and Public Prosecutor's Office UlmAnnouncing the grounds for the arrest of the 70-year-old suspect.

The victim, a kitchen assistant, was found naked and bound by her legs near a forest path in Deggingen. The brutality of the crime, characterized by severe trauma to the upper body and head, with injuries resembling those from being run over by a vehicle, had shocked the community at the time. Investigators now believe the motive was to conceal a sexual offense, a detail that adds a disturbing layer to the already tragic case.

He wanted to cover up a sexual offense.

— Police and Public Prosecutor's Office UlmStating the suspected motive behind the murder.

A critical piece of evidence appears to be a DNA trace secured in 1985, which has now been re-examined by the "Oberberg" investigative group. This, combined with evidence seized from the suspect's home in Schwendi and a recent forensic medical expert report, has led to the current arrest. The meticulous work of the police and public prosecutor's office in Ulm, including the use of specialized equipment like probes and vehicles capable of detecting hollow spaces, highlights the dedication to solving these decades-old crimes.

The injury pattern resembled that of being run over by a motor vehicle.

— PoliceDescribing the nature of the victim's fatal injuries.

While the arrest offers a significant step forward, the investigation is ongoing. It remains unclear whether the suspect faces additional charges or has made any statement regarding the allegations. The connection between the victim and the suspect is also yet to be determined. This case, however, is not the only "cold case" seeing potential progress, as investigators in Lahr are also pursuing leads in a case over a quarter-century old, demonstrating a persistent commitment to seeking justice for victims, no matter how much time has passed.

That the victim's killing is related to a sexual offense is very likely.

— PoliceCommenting on the connection between the murder and a sexual crime in November of the previous year.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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