The request to reopen the high-profile case follows media investigations that have pointed to significant deficiencies in the original probe. Aftonbladet published investigations pointing to deficiencies in the original Knutby investigation, including reports of more shots, contradictory shot angles, and blood trails questioning whether Sara Svensson killed Helge Fossmo's wife. The newspaper also published a follow-up investigation earlier in the week pointing to a possible perpetrator with connections to the sect, according to Aftonbladet. These reports have brought renewed scrutiny to a case that captivated Sweden two decades ago.
New forensic evidence and connections to the sect have emerged as central to the reopening argument. The suspected person was arrested by one of the police officers first on the scene in Knutby after the murder, and investigations showed the person had 41 so-called primer particles on them—a sign a weapon may have been fired. Another person with connections to the sect had gunshot residue on them in the Knutby case, according to multiple reports.
The original crime scene investigation has been criticized for several procedural flaws. Alexandra Fossmo was found murdered in her bed around six o'clock in the morning on January 10, 2004, according to multiple reports. No forensic pathologist was called to the murder scene in Knutby to estimate the time of death, according to multiple reports. The police measured the temperature in Alexandra Fossmo's armpit around 3 PM, and it was 25 degrees Celsius, according to multiple reports. Forensic pathologists assess that the measured temperature is not reliable for determining the time of death, according to forensic pathologists.
I will go through the request and make an assessment of whether it is likely that a supplementary investigation of the material cited constitutes grounds for retrial.
Forensic analysis now suggests the victim may have been dead before being shot. The program 200 seconds has shown with the help of forensic pathologist Anders Eriksson that Alexandra Fossmo was already dead when she was shot in the hip, according to multiple reports. Johan Eriksson states that an autopsy technician confirmed that no bleeding occurred in connection with the shot to the hip.
The legal context involves previous convictions and growing expert calls for reconsideration. Sara Svensson was convicted of the murder of pastor's wife Alexandra Fossmo in Knutby, according to multiple reports. Pastor Helge Fossmo was convicted of incitement to murder and attempted murder, and the nanny Sara Svensson was convicted of the murder, according to multiple reports. Helge Fossmo has been conditionally released for some years, and the nanny was released in 2011, according to multiple reports. Two experienced murder investigators, a forensic technician, and a former Supreme Court judge believe the conviction against Sara Svensson must be overturned, according to multiple reports.
The request submission included a dramatic moment during related press coverage. During a press conference with Johan Eriksson about reopening the investigation in the Knutby case, a listener fainted, according to multiple reports. When a request to reopen a preliminary investigation regarding a legally binding judgment comes to the Swedish Prosecution Authority, it is handled according to the regulations for retrial cases, according to official sources.
Someone else has shot Alexandra Fossmo, based on that her account does not match the forensic findings.
The legal process for retrial involves high-level judicial review. A question of retrial of a legally binding court of appeal judgment is examined by the Supreme Court, according to official sources. Since the Prosecutor General is the sole authorized public prosecutor in the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General should assess whether the preliminary investigation should be reopened, according to official sources.
The original investigator has dismissed the new media attention as not presenting novel information. Prosecutor Elin Blank, who led the investigation in 2004, stated after Aftonbladet's investigation that the newspaper did not publish any new information—it was already reported 20 years ago—so she decided not to request a retrial.
Key arguments in the reopening request center on aligning new material with the defendant's account. Johan Eriksson writes in his request that new material aligns with Sara Svensson's account, except that she was wrong about her action causing the death.
The prosecutor's planned review will examine multiple aspects of the evidence. Mats Svensson will go through the forensic investigation, the technical investigation at the scene, and Sara Svensson's interrogation statements, according to Mats Svensson.
The current status remains preliminary with limited information available. When the request has been received, this press release will be updated with a case number, according to official sources. There is currently no more information available on how the request might be assessed, and no indication can be given on when a decision might be announced, according to official sources. Over-prosecutor Mats Svensson is available for media questions today until 2 PM, at phone number 010-562 60 50, according to official sources.