Sweden: man goes on trial for 2004 murder after DNA matched to genealogy site:
A 37-year-old Swedish man has gone on trial for double murder after two killings that went unsolved for more than 15 years until police matched his DNA on a popular genealogy website.
Daniel Nyqvist, who confessed to the crime shortly after his arrest last June, has been charged with the 2004 murder of a 56-year-old woman and an eight-year-old boy.
The two victims – who were unrelated – were stabbed in a random act in the quiet southern Swedish town of Linkoping [sic Linköping].
The crime shocked the nation, with investigators unable to come up with either a perpetrator or a motive, despite finding the suspect’s DNA at the scene, the weapon that was used, a bloody cap and witness descriptions of a young man with blond hair.
Police even called upon the FBI for help, but to no avail. Over the years, the case file grew to become the second biggest in Sweden’s history, after that of the 1986 murder of former prime minister Olof Palme.
The case was finally cracked when new legislation in January 2019 allowed police to search for matches to suspects’ DNA on commercial genealogy websites, which are popular among Swedes seeking long-lost relatives.
[...] “We received a match almost immediately. And several months later, the suspect could be arrested. His DNA was taken and matched 100%,” police said in a statement the day after his arrest.
How much might other repositories uncover, and are any fundamental freedoms violated by so trawling?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 22 2020, @12:32AM (4 children)
I wouldn't be terribly sure of that. Our current nominee for vice president withheld evidence in a number of cases that would have freed the accused. It seems to be a pretty common practice in many jurisdictions, not just in California.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Tuesday September 22 2020, @01:44AM (1 child)
Seems to be part of the DNA of many Law and Order types. Some will commit murder before admitting to a mistake, such as, that they convicted the wrong person. Never apologize, never admit or reveal fallibility, never look weak. They can be doubly determined to stonewall and deny if they profited from a conviction of questionable merit thanks to corruption. Makes it extremely difficult to fight and win against stuff such as the highly profitable petty traffic violation.
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Tuesday September 22 2020, @02:05AM
To paraphrase a popular meme;
This is a heinous crime.
Someone must be convicted and punished.
This is someone.
Convict and punish him.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @05:11AM (1 child)
Mike Pence did no such thing! He was just praying to Jesus!! Your lying TDS will send you to Hell, Runaway! I pray for your wayward sole!
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday September 22 2020, @06:06AM
Please, don't pray for my soles. In Dr. Scholl I trust!
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz