Updated 23.01 | Published 20.32
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A couple of messages on Snapchat, a short ride with an epa tractor and a few blows to the head.
The chain of events leading up to the teenage boy’s death was very short.
– The purpose was not to hurt anyone, says the suspect in questioning.
It was early August and quite cold for the time of year. But what did it do? The autumn term was several weeks away and she had parental leave. Someone had brought alcohol in a plastic bottle. They were actually allowed to be a maximum of four and in the beginning they stuck to that. But then the information about the empty house spread and more people joined.
– We listened to music and chilled, the girl told the police later.
The boy who was soon to be beaten came to the party in Gustavsberg east of Stockholm in a moped. At 1:17 a.m., he added a guy he didn’t know on Snapchat. He was writing a message about an event he had just heard about.
“Brother you have strangled my pal. Not okay”.
“Apologise and it’s over.”
The recipient reacted very strongly to the messages. He responded with gross insults, and a serious threat.
“I don’t care if you play completely on my head, we’ll kill you (slang for “dead”, ed. note).”
Found on Snapkarta
Via the map function on Snapchat, the boy, who was 15 years old at the time, managed to find out where the one year older sender was.
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full screen The two suspected boys buy drinks at a pub after the assault. The defendant at the front. Photo: The police
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full screen A knife that is said to have been used in the assault. Photo: The police
Using the same tool, the boy who sent the message could see that the 15-year-old was on his way to the party.
– Then he got scared and turned off the Snap map. They were going to leave, but the other guy was already out there, the girl whose parents were away said in questioning.
Accounts differ on what happened next. The 15-year-old has admitted that he drove to the house with his epa tractor and then hit the 16-year-old twice in the head. However, witnesses have told the police about a very brutal assault. They have described how the 15-year-old, together with a 14-year-old, threatened his victim with a knife and showered him with punches and kicks. Several hit in the head.
– It got worse than I wanted, the 15-year-old told the police investigators.
The 16-year-old was taken to hospital by ambulance. About a month later, he died of his injuries. By then he had reached the age of 17.
– All parents can understand what a terrible sadness it is to lose a child. What makes it extra strong is that so many people know our son and know what a fine person he was. A kind, inclusive, caring, sporty boy with a huge heart, his mother has previously told Aftonbladet.
Prosecutor: Had intent to kill
The suspected perpetrator is now 16 years old. Earlier this week, he was charged with murder in Nacka district court.
– I mean that the investigation has shown that he intended to kill this person. There is both technical evidence and witness statements that support it, says prosecutor Hanna Loftås.
– Now it is up to the court to decide whether the evidence is sufficient to convict the suspect of murder or not.
The suspect was enraged by the accusation from the boy. After locating him via Snapchat’s map feature, he made his way to the victim’s location. Photo: The police
In the police investigation there are messages where it appears that the victim apologized several times before he was attacked. Photo: The police
The chats show that the boy sent several apologies to the perpetrator. But it was in vain. Photo: The police
Photo: The police
The prosecutor states that many people close to those involved have been strongly affected by the incident.
– Everything is extremely tragic. This is a trauma that family members and friends will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
The 16-year-old is represented by lawyer Joel Apitzsch.
“My main man admits assault but denies any kind of intent to kill. When he left the crime scene, the plaintiff was conscious and the fatal outcome appears to be the result of a number of circumstances that my client could hardly have anticipated,” he writes in an email to Aftonbladet.
The 14-year-old is not charged in the case because he is not of legal age. The trial begins on March 11.
square2 Correction: In an earlier version of the article, there was an error regarding who was the sender and recipient of the text messages. Aftonbladet regrets this.