Murders of Mohammed Ammouri and Anna-Lena Svensson

The double murder of 8-year-old Mohammed Ammouri and 56-year-old Anna-Lena Svensson happened on 19 October 2004 in Linköping, Sweden. Both where stabbed to death at Åsgatan in Linköping. The murders remained unsolved and with no suspects for 16 years until the new method of ancestorial DNA was used. In June 2020, a suspect was arrested and later found guilty of the murders and sentenced to psychiatric care indefinitely. It was the first time in Swedish history that the method of ancestorial DNA was used to solve any murder or other crime in Sweden.

Investigation

Police could secure the murder weapon and a cap worn by the killer and secured the male's DNA.[1] From the DNA results it could be confirmed that the suspect was from Northern Europe, had blonde hair, and was a smoker and snus user at the time. Police also stated that they believed that the suspect was in his twenties and likely was suffering from mental health issues.[2]

Alternative theories are that the murders were planned, in particular the murder of Mohammed Ammour, this theory was brought out by crime professor Leif GW Persson and Hasse Aro they also theorised that the suspect might not be mentally ill.[3]

In 2010, a sketch of the suspect was revealed.[4] The sketch and the case itself was brought up on the SVT crime show Veckans brott and it was broadcast on the anniversary of the murders, 19 October 2010.[5]

In 2018, the police released a second sketch of the suspect, this time it was created in the Netherlands based on the suspects DNA profile, a technique tested for the first time in Sweden at the time. The sketch led to over 100 new tips from the public, but no arrest.[6]

The investigation into the double murders in Linköping is the second largest in Swedish history next to the investigation into the assassination of Prime Minister Olof Palme.[7]

Arrest and prosecution

On 9 June, 2020, sixteen years after the double murder, 37-year-old Daniel Nyqvist was arrested based on hits made in the commercial database of ancestorial DNA, combined with a family search of the person's DNA.[8][9] The police was aided by professional ancestor scientist Peter Sjölund to help find the suspect's family tree.[10][11]

A hit in the database familytreedna.com plus ancestor detective work by Sjölund back to the early 1800s provided enough information to give a certain hit.[12] Based on the familial results Nyqvist's brother was also initially arrested but later released.[12] A DNA test was made after Nyqvist's arrest which showed a 100% match between his DNA and the DNA found at the crime scene.[13] Daniel Nyqvist confessed to the double murders the same day as he was arrested.[13][14]

On 1 October, 2020, Nyqvist was found guilty and sentenced to psychiatric care indefinitely for the two murders.[15] Nyqvist admitted in court that the two murders were unprovoked and that he heard voices that told him that he needed to kill someone. He first stabbed Mohammed Ammour, when Anna-Lena happened to see the murder she as well was attacked and stabbed to death.[16] He was also ordered to pay the family of the murdered 8-year-old 350.000 (SEK), and 1,4 million (SEK) to the Swedish state.[17] Anna-Lena's family did not request any compensation during the trial.[17]

On 7 October in the same year, Nyqvist through his attorney Johan Ritzer announced he would not appeal his sentence.[18][19]

Book
  • Bodin, Anna; Sjölund, Peter (2021). Genombrottet: så löste släktforskaren dubbelmordet i Linköping. Stockholm: Norstedts. ISBN 978-91-1-311399-9.

References
  1. "Man on trial for murder after DNA hit on genealogy site". 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021 – via RTE News.
  2. Stockholm, AFP in (15 September 2020). "Sweden: man goes on trial for 2004 murder after DNA matched to genealogy site". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  3. Ingvarsson, Per (3 December 2008). "Nya tips om dubbelmord i Linköping". Svenska Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  4. Polisen behöver hjälp med att identifiera en man polisen.se Retrieved 20 February 2021
  5. Quist/corren, Fredrik (19 October 2010). "Dubbelmordet i Linköping tas upp i nytt tv-program – Norrköpings Tidningar". nt.se. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  6. Radio, Sveriges. "Linköping double murder case trial to take place later this month - Radio Sweden". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  7. Eriksson, Benny; Snaprud, Per (9 June 2020). "Dna-tekniken som löser dubbelmordet i Linköping". SVT Nyheter. Archived from the original on 6 January 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  8. Swedish police tracked down double murderer Archived 2021-02-20 at the Wayback Machine The Local Retrieved 20 February 2021
  9. "Banbrytande metod bakom genombrott i utredningen om dubbelmordet i Linköping". Dagens Nyheter. 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  10. Halmstad, Louise Callaghan. "Genealogist uses ancestry website to track down knife killer". Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021 – via The Times.
  11. Alamaa, Håkan (19 February 2021). "Peter från Härnösand löste dubbelmord: "En overklig känsla men väldigt härlig"". SVT Nyheter. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  12. "37-åringen om dubbelmordet: "Det gick som på automatik"". Dagens Nyheter. 2 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. Radio, Sveriges. "Suspect confesses to 2004 double murder". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  14. DNA hit brings Swedish double murder suspect to trial after 16 years Archived 2020-12-12 at the Wayback Machine The Local. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  15. Swede convicted of double murder after DNA match 16 years later Archived 2020-10-04 at the Wayback Machine The Local Retrieved 20 February 2021
  16. "37-årig man döms för dubbelmord i Linköping 2004". Dagens Nyheter. 1 October 2020. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  17. Gelin, Lovisa; Brantemo, Axel (1 October 2020). "Dubbelmordet i Linköping: 37-åringen döms för mord till rättspsykiatrisk vård". Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021 – via SVT Nyheter.
  18. "Advokaten: Nyqvist vill inte överklaga morddomen – Corren". Corren. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  19. "Genealogy and DNA help solve 16-year-old double-murder case in Sweden". Foreigner.fi. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
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