– It is as expected. There is nothing in that case, says Vassbakk’s defender, Stian Kristensen to news. The charge against Johny Vassbakk, who was charged with the murder of Tina Jørgensen, has been dropped due to the state of the evidence. State attorney Folke Åmlid confirms this to news. It is the Attorney General who has made the decision, but it is in line with the recommendation of both the police and the Attorney General. – The Attorney General has drawn that conclusion from an overall assessment, says Åmlid. Vassbakk was sentenced earlier this month to 17 years in prison for the murder of Birgitte Tengs. That case has been appealed to the Court of Appeal. Aftenbladet reported on the closure of the Jørgensen case first. Stian Kristensen is the defender for Johny Vassbakk. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news The family disappointed news has been in contact with the mother of Tina Jørgensen, Torunn Austdal Rasmussen. She then refers to legal aid lawyer Kjersti Jæger. – The family is of course disappointed, but it was not unexpected that there was a closure, says Jæger to news. Assistance lawyer Kjersti Jæger. Photo: Kaj Hjertenes / news The family and the assistance lawyer have been presented with the work the police have done. – Both the investigations and the evidence picture, at the same time that we have been briefed during the proceedings. Based on that, it is not surprising, but we had hoped for a different outcome, she continues. However, Jæger is pleased that the case is not over. – New tips keep coming in. The family hopes that the case will be resolved sooner or later, but this time it didn’t work out, she says. Tina Jørgensen disappeared on the night of 24 September 2000 in Stavanger. On 26 October 2000, she was found dead in a basin outside Bore church on Jæren. The murder of Tina Jørgensen On 24 September 2000, 20-year-old Tina Jørgensen disappeared without a trace after spending the evening on the town with her boyfriend. A large-scale search operation was carried out in the Stavanger area. On 26 October 2000, the body of Tina Jørgensen was found by chance in a drainage basin in the car park at Bore church in Jæren. The autopsy showed that she was beaten to death. On 31 October 2001, Tina’s boyfriend and occasional partner was charged with the murder of the 20-year-old. He was released after being in custody for seven weeks. On 23 December 2002, he was verbally informed that the police dropped the charges against him. The formal letter stating that the charge had been dropped did not come until April 2004. In February 2005, he received NOK 50,000 in restitution and NOK 138,500 in compensation for the financial loss he suffered as a result of the charge. The cases were dropped in 2003. On 16 September 2015, a 36-year-old man from Lyngdal was arrested and charged with murder or complicity in the murder of Tina Jørgensen. On 17 September 2015, three more men were arrested and charged in the case. On 9 October 2015, all four accused men were released. On 12 September 2016, the Attorney-General dropped the case against the four and justified the drop with “no criminal offence”. On 18 October 2016, the cold case unit in Kripos stated that they would look into the 16-year-old murder case. On 23 September 2017, the book “When Tina was killed” was published. Author Erlend Frafjord writes, among other things, that the police in the investigation of the murder have been tipped off about a man who has been convicted of rape, and who has since been killed. On 26 April 2018, Kripos concluded that the case should be investigated further, but to a limited extent. 6 September 2018: Sørvest police district states that a group of investigators will look at the case again. The group has just started work. On 3 September 2021, the police state that a person is suspected of the murder of Tina Jørgensen. – We don’t think much of what Defense Attorney Kristensen says that they had expected this to come before the sentencing in the Birgitte case. – We are reacting to the fact that it did not come sooner. Because it is common knowledge, and it hangs there like a shadow. No matter how you twist and turn it. We don’t think much of it, he says. news journalist Erlend Frafjord, who has also written the book “When Tina was killed”, is not surprised by the closure. – It is connected to the long time that has passed since the murder and the lack of seizures against which the DNA can be checked, says Frafjord. As news has previously written, the police have thrown away part of the DNA material in connection with the Tina case. news journalist Erlend Frafjord has written the book “When Tina was killed”. Photo: Anders Fehn / news Thinks they have more to work with Police prosecutor Unni Byberg Malmin does not want to comment on the case at the present time as the case is still with the state attorney. State Attorney Åmlid tells news that they still have a goal of solving the case. – The Attorney General has written that the police must continuously assess new tips and information. They themselves must assess whether new investigative steps are to be carried out, he says. Public prosecutor Folke Åmlid. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news Frafjord believes it can be an advantage that they now have a specific person to work towards in the investigation. – After the Birgitte judgment, I believe that to a far greater extent than before they have a concrete person to work towards. There are several reasons not to abandon that track, says Frafjord. The title of this case was changed from “The Tina Jørgensen case is dropped” to “The Tina case: The charge is dropped” as this is a more precise description.
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The charge against Johny Vassbakk has been dropped – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
