Two people were found dead in municipal rental housing in Pilehagen, Karmøy, on Saturday. Police have arrested two men in their 30s and charged them with murder. According to police, a woman in her 50s was found dead by an employee at 09:29, and her injuries led police to immediately suspect murder.
Police went door-to-door in the rental housing and surrounding area. Three and a half hours after the woman was found, a man in his 60s was found dead; he also lived in Pilehagen. There are about 15 housing units in the area; during a survey of other units, another dead person was found just before 13:00.
Police confirm they see the two deaths as connected; two men in their 30s have been arrested and charged with murder. The two suspects were arrested around 19:00 on Saturday after police had been searching for them in the afternoon. Information suggests there was some form of relationship or acquaintance between the two suspects and the two deceased, according to police attorney Fredrik Martin Soma.
The exact cause of death for the two victims has not been determined. The motive and the precise relationship between the suspects and victims remain unclear. Local residents in Kopervik are shocked by the double murder.
We are primarily working to take care of those affected, including employees and others.
According to NRK Rogaland, Kåre Olsen described the event as a shock and something usually only seen on TV, adding that people think it is terrible. According to NRK Rogaland, Hanna Jakobsen described the murders as completely terrible and gruesome, especially as a double murder. According to NRK Rogaland, Marlyn Davidsen described having many questions about who did it, what happened, and the motive, and said the murders affect the local community and are scary.
Pilehagen is a municipal housing facility with 15 rental units intended for residents with active substance abuse and significant care needs, according to a 2025 management report. Safety at the housing is regulated by specific instructions: there must always be two employees on duty, and employees must carry an alarm, receiver, and phone at all times, according to the report. The 2025 management report states that employees are not always on-site, even though personnel should be available around the clock.
The management report notes that follow-up of people with mental health and substance abuse problems has been much discussed in local media, with concern from residents and politicians. Current and former employees criticize the safety situation at Pilehagen and the management's handling of it. According to NRK, a current employee described that the safety system for staff does not work.
According to NRK, the current employee described that using a phone to call for help is not a solution because it could worsen the situation. Previously, the alarm system could summon external help, but that system is now gone, which the employee believes is to save money. A former employee says warnings about safety at Pilehagen have been raised for a long time and that the direct alarm to a notification service was cut to save money.
It is a shock and something you usually only see on TV; people think it's terrible.
NRK has seen documentation that employees expressed dissatisfaction with the alarm system several years ago. According to NRK, a former employee described that management has not taken safety seriously and told staff to find other work if they are scared. The current employee claims their concerns are not taken seriously by management, and they are told to quit if they cannot handle the job.
Karmøy municipality apologizes if employees have felt unsafe and states they have both colleague notification and direct notification to police via phone. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority cannot say whether they have received warnings about Pilehagen because all reports of possible legal violations are exempt from public disclosure. It is not known how many employees were on duty at Pilehagen at the time of the murders, and whether safety protocols were followed.
" The crisis management team in Karmøy municipality met at 15:00 and received updated information from police; the mayor said they know no more than what police have publicly released. The crisis management team will meet again on Sunday for updated information from police. Local police are receiving assistance from Kripos and the emergency response unit to strengthen operational capacity.
Extensive forensic work is ongoing at the two crime scenes and is expected to take a long time; much work is also being done at police stations in Stavanger and Haugesund. " According to NRK Rogaland, a neighbor described seeing twelve police cars and police searching with dogs, and said they had not received information from police and felt unsafe.