DNA genus research received international attention when “Golden State Killer” could be arrested in the United States after 40 years. In Sweden, it became widely known in connection with the double murder in Linköping in 2004 to be solved using the method.
But then it stopped, the police have not been able to use DNA family research since the Privacy Protection Authority believed that it was illegal. The Riksdag voted through a new law on Wednesday that gives the police the power to use the method to find perpetrators.
Police: tried to take this up
The new law comes into force on July 1, but has some restrictions. The bill from the government proposed that it only be used in preliminary investigations into murder, serious rape or serious rape against children. There must also be a special reason to believe that the DNA track comes from the perpetrator.
The police’s referral response to the government’s proposal was positive and welcomed the proposal. At the same time, there were no tools, including being able to search for an unknown plaintiff in some cases.
-The first thing we did when we saw in writing that it did not include search of unknown defendants was to address this, says Bo Lundqvist, head of the Cold Fall Group in the South Police Region.
The answer he received from the investigation was that it was not included in their assignment to investigate whether the technology could be used to identify victims, therefore it was not covered in the investigation either.
The Cold Fall Group in Stockholm also states that they had wanted to use the method to identify victims.
“In the Stockholm region we have a number of cases with unidentified victims where the method could be used,” writes Göran Olsson from the region’s cold case group.
DNA genus research was only added later in the investigation
At a government meeting in May 2021, the decision on the directives for the investigation “Biometrics was made in law enforcement”. The then government then instructed that one should review whether deceased defendants could be stored in any register.
“A register of DNA profiles or other information about deceased plaintiffs could lead to otherwise difficult crimes being cleared up”, it states in the directive. The first directive, however, did not include DNA genus research, it was first in one Supplementary directives in March 2022.
According to the Supplementary Directive, the investigator would only decide whether it is possible to use DNA-based genealogy to identify suspected perpetrators.
Tried to identify an unknown victim
Bo Lundqvist indicates that there are hundreds of cases where one could identify victims. One of them is the case with the “Ekebyman” found dead in Skåne in 2003. It was the first case where the Swedish police used DNA-based genealogy.
-The biggest international success of DNA family research is to identify victims, says Bo Lundqvist, adding::
– We chose to try to identify the “Ekebyman” just because he was a victim.
The investigation took the help of genealogist Peter Sjölund, who later helped to solve the double murder in Linköping. The “Ekebyman” is still not identified, but he has managed to tie him to a couple of smaller villages in Croatia.
– It is my conviction that we will be able to identify this person, says Bo Lundqvist.
TV4 News has sought Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M)
So the Cold Fall sees the groups on DNA genus research
Police region Nord
Is positive about using genealogy with DNA.
Hope to be able to use in one or more cases, especially on the double murder in Brattås 2005.
“We have worked on to be in phase and ready for if/when the change in the law comes into force. For example, through collaboration with NFC and through forensic analysis, ”writes Marie Kristiansson from the North Call Police Region.
Police region in the middle
Are positive to the change, but have no current cases where the method can be used.
“It will be another tool for us in the difficult murders. We will of course use the method when we have the opportunity to do so. An unknown DNA is required that is good enough to drive into their databases, ”writes Per Ringqvist, investigator in cold cases in the Mitt region.
Police region Bergslagen
“We are positive about genealogy as a measure in the investigation of serious crimes and also to other proposals for legislative changes, especially the extended DNA tops and fingerprints of suspects,” writes Mikael Nyqvist, criminal commissioner and preliminary investigator at Kalla case in Bergslagen.
At present, there is no case where the method is needed, but states that you have not identified and invented all cold cases in the region.
Police region Stockholm
Are positive about the method, but do not believe that there are so many cases in the Stockholm region where it may be relevant to use DNA family research.
“There are a number of cases where the method could be used. But as we understand, the method can only be used to investigate any perpetrators. Unidentified victims, we cannot use this method to identify the victims, ”writes Göran Olsson from the Kalla case group in the Stockholm police region.
Police region West
In the West Police Region, Kalla-Fall states that “Absolutely is positive” to the method and that you will most likely use it.
“We currently have a couple of cases where the method may be useful, but no concrete examples,” writes Anders Eriksson, group manager and preliminary investigator in cold cases.
Police Region Syd
States that you look “very positive” at the change and that you will definitely use the method. The region also has a few cases where you are interested in using the method.
“What we see as negative is that the law only gives us the opportunity to search for perpetrators. We want to be able to use it even to identify victims, ”writes Bo Lundqvist, head of the Cold Fall Group in the South Police Region.
Police region east
In the East region there is no cold case group, but all cases are handled within the investigation section.
Stream DNA detectives
Swedish documentary series about how the double murder in Linköping finally gets its resolution after 16 years, all thanks to genealogist Peter Sjölund.