Disappearance of Helena Andersson

22-year-old Helena Andersson disappeared on 14 June 1992 in Mariestad, Sweden. Since then several different suspects in her disappearance have been arrested, and later released without charge. The disappearance has received extensive media attention since 1992.

Helena Andersson
Born1970
Sweden
DisappearedJune 14, 1992 (aged 21–22)
Mariestad, Sweden
StatusMissing for 31 years, 3 months and 25 days
Known forMysterious disappearance

Disappearance

She had been at a friend’s housewarming party in Töreboda, later in the evening she and a few friends decided to continue partying at the Stadshotellet nightclub in central Mariestad.[1] At 2 in the morning she headed home by foot, an hour later several witnesses heard a woman screaming. About 100 m (330 ft) from her parents' home, Andersson's rings and sandals were found.[2] Also found were drips of blood. She has not been heard from since.[3][2] The first man to be a suspect was a Danish man who witnesses had seen driving a white car, allegedly picking up Helena Andersson and driving away from the Stadshotellet.[1] He was arrested and later released.[4]

Investigation and arrests

In August 2019, DNA tests found traces of three different people on her sandals.[5] In August 2021, a man in his 60s was arrested in connection with Helena Andersson's disappearance.[6]

He was later released but remains a suspect in her disappearance.[7] In 2020, the Swedish police special cold case group in Gothenburg started investigating the case.[7] During the evening Helena called her sister to ask her if she had seen her wallet, her sister told her she would pay for a taxi home.[8] Helena decided to walk home anyway.[8]

Two rings she had been wearing and sandals were found the day after her disappearance.[9][7] Several witnesses told police they saw a white or possibly light coloured car near the place were Helena Andersson's belongings were found.[10] The 60 year old suspect had a white car at the time of Helena Andersson's disappearance, since then the car had been scrapped this was revealed in 2021.[10] Witnesses heard a loud scream identified by them as that of a woman screaming.[11]

In 2017, another man was arrested in suspicion of the disappearance but he was also released later. He was known in media as "the man with pilot-glasses".[12][13]

In 2010, a white Volvo 744 was examined for evidence by investigators. It formerly belonged to a 80-year-old man who had died in a house fire, because of tips from the public. It was deemed to not have anything to do with her disappearance.[3] In September 2021, investigators revealed that the 60 year old suspects DNA had been sent for analysis at the National Forensic Centre. It will be matched to the blood traces found on her sandals.[14] After his arrest police also search his home, and the area where she disappeared, without revealing any results to media.[15]

Her disappearance has also been linked to murderer Anders Eklund, but no charges have been brought.[16][17]

On 20 June 2022, Swedish prosecutors handling the case decided to close all investigations and work on the case.[18] It will only be re-opened if new evidence emerges.[18]

In media

The disappearance has been extensively mentioned in Swedish media, and Efterlyst, Veckans Brott, and Sveriges Radio has produced documentaries about the case.[19][20]

In April 2021, Danish author Lotte Dalgaard published the book Mardrömmen i Mariestad — Historien om Helena Anderssons försvinnande (Nightmare in Mariestad — Story of Helena Andersson's disappearance).[4]

Criminologist Leif GW Persson states that he is certain he knows who kidnapped and murdered Helena Andersson, and has claimed to have spent over 1000 hours investigating the case.[21]

See also

References
  1. "Helena, 22, försvannpå ett liknande sätt" [Helena, 22, disappeared in a similar way]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  2. "Försvann 12 juni 1992" [Disappeared 12 June 1992]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  3. "Försvunna Helenas blod söks i beslagtagen vit Volvo" [Missing Helena's blood sought in seized white Volvo]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  4. "Helena, 22, försvann – ny bok söker svar på gåtan" [Helena, 22, disappeared - new book seeks answers to the mystery]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. "Dna-träffar på Helenas sandal – 27 år efter försvinnandet" [DNA hits on Helena's sandal - 27 years after the disappearance]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 10 June 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  6. "Mannen som misstänks för mordet på Helena Andersson begärs häktad" [Man suspected of the murder of Helena Andersson requested to be detained]. MSN Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  7. Nyheter, S. V. T.; Storm, Johanna; Carlqvist, Bosse; Gustafsson, Amanda (25 August 2021). "Mannen som begärts häktad i Helenafallet släpps" [The man requested to be detained in the Helena case released]. SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  8. Divinyi, Sandra (2 November 2017). "Efter 25 år – Helenas misstänkte mördare har kontaktat advokat" [After 25 years - Helena's suspected killer has contacted a lawyer]. Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  9. "Nya svaren i jakten på försvunna Helena, 22". GT (in Swedish). 1 June 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  10. "Polisen nu säker: Bilen har skrotats" [Police now sure: The car has been scrapped]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  11. "Okända vittnet: Jag hörde försvunna Helena 22, skrika" [Unknown witness: I heard the missing Helena 22, screaming]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2 October 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  12. Öfwerström, Mats; Wadebäck, Pernilla (10 August 2019). ""Mannen i pilotglasögon" inte längre mordmisstänkt" ["The man in pilot goggles" is no longer a murder suspect]. Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-13."Mannen i pilotglasögon" inte längre mordmisstänkt Archived 2021-11-01 at the Wayback Machine Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 1 November 2021
  13. Abrahamsson, Anders (23 August 2021). "Man misstänkt för mordet på Helena Andersson 1992" [Suspected of the murder of Helena Andersson in 1992]. Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  14. Nyheter, S. V. T.; Sprangers, Jan (1 September 2021). "Helenafallet: 20-30 nya tips efter att den misstänkte greps" [Helena case: 20-30 new tips after the suspect was arrested]. SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  15. Abrahamsson, Anders (24 August 2021). "Fastighet och skogsdunge genomsökt i Helena- utredningen" [Property and forest grove searched in the Helena investigation]. Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  16. "Han kan utredas för fler mord" [He could be investigated for more murders]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  17. Olsson, Tobias (15 April 2008). "Polisen: Fler erkännanden kan komma" [Police: More confessions may come]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  18. Ekström, Kajsa (20 June 2022). "Utredningen om Helena-fallet läggs ner". SVT Nyheter. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  19. Lundell, Kristin (29 January 2011). "SVT:s snutjargong är hänsynslös" [SVT's cop jargon is ruthless]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  20. "Polisen sågar GW:s teori om Helenas försvinnande" [The police saw GW's theory of Helena's disappearance]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  21. "Leif GW Persson om Helena Andersson – 30 år gamla mordgåtan" [Leif GW Persson about Helena Andersson – 30 year old murder mystery]. tv4.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
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