It was Tuesday last week that the family reported Lindholm from Fjellfroskvatnet in Balsfjord missing. Her car was found on a gravel roof two miles from the home farm, close to a plot of land the family disposes of near Øverbygd church. For nine days, all traces of the 71-year-old have stopped here. On Thursday, the police received a tip about an observation of a woman walking down Målselvdalen in the direction of Rundhaug on the same day that Arnhild was reported missing. The woman is described as wearing summer clothes, i.e. shorts and a light T-shirt. – We think that there is a high possibility that the sighting is of the missing Arnhild. But we are interested to hear if there are other ladies who have been out and about in this particular area. We strongly want them to contact us, says Police Superintendent Katrine Grimnes at Målselv police station. Missing Arnhild Johanne Lindholm. Photo: Privat Searches have so far been carried out with dogs and a helicopter – on land in demanding terrain with a lot of vegetation and in the river. The police now believe she is presumed dead. – The status is that there is no active search in progress. The police are still investigating the case broadly, and will continue to do so, says Chief Police Officer Eivind Oftedal. Distracts himself with farm work A week has passed since the large search operation ended, but several smaller searches have been carried out. Father and son distract themselves with farm work. Photo: Simen Wingstad At the family farm, Arnhild’s husband Bengt Lindholm and son Christian Lindholm try to pass the waiting time with daily chores. – Sawing timber requires a bit of brain power. You have to do some math, and it’s a great way to get your head around something else, says Christian. Christian Lindholm, son of the missing Arnhild Lindholm. Photo: Simen Wingstad / news – I take care of milking and barn care in the mornings, and what needs to be done for the animals’ health. It’s good, because you ponder a lot about what might have happened, says Bengt. The husband says that he has gone out to look for Arnhild when he does not get a good night’s sleep. The animal frame takes the mind away from pondering. Photo: Simen Wingstad / news Hope lives on at home The two describe Arnhild as a committed organizational person with a lot of fire in her iron. She worked as a country postman, and she is a person many people know in the local community. Although the husband and son deep down agree that the chance of her being found alive is small, they cling to hope. – I have lost a little hope. I can imagine that she might have been transported from the place by car. But trying to figure out where she might be is difficult. There are hundreds of people who have been looking for her, and there is no trace of her, says her husband Bengt Lindholm. The son says he tries his best not to think about what might have happened to his mother. Photo: Simen Wingstad / news – But the only theory that makes sense to me is that she may have felt unwell and because of that had problems finding her way around. And got help from someone who is not local, says son Christian Lindholm. Roser search crews It was the husband who last saw Arnhild alive. They ate breakfast together at 11 o’clock on Tuesday 11 July. They went their separate ways about their tasks. When Bengt came back in, Arnhild was nowhere to be found. He started calling for her. But without getting any answers. After a while he decided to go for a drive. It was on a gravel roof, two miles from the family farm, that Arnhild Lindholm’s car was found. Photo: Simen Wingstad / news It was he who found the car. There he found Arnhild’s mobile, work clothes and pesticides. Arnhild’s task was to spray fields with herbicide. The car was unlocked. – It is so unlike Arnhild. She always locks the car, says Bengt. The husband and son would like to thank everyone who has so far contributed to the search for Arnhild. – The police and search teams have made it easy in every possible way. The police have been in contact with us every day, we have nothing negative to say about them, says Bengt. They have also been contacted by psychics. They do not want to receive more such inquiries. – It gives false hope. The worst thing we can do is hunt ghosts. The last thing we need now, says Christian. Gets assistance from Kripos For the police, a technical and tactical investigation is now underway. – Video surveillance has been collected from various places in the district. We have received tips and we are working on treating them. Work is being done to collect threads and we are trying to form a better picture of what may have happened, says police chief constable Eivind Oftedal. First officer Eivind Oftedal at Målselv police station. Photo: Simen Wingstad / news He emphasizes that the police work on the basis of many hypotheses. – We have not locked ourselves into a theory. At the present time, there is nothing to indicate that anything criminal has happened in the case. The Troms police nevertheless receive assistance from Kripos. – What they assist with is primarily analysis of surveillance material that has been brought in and mobile data, says Oftedal. Planning new searches The police are planning new searches, but it is currently too early to say when that will happen. They also ask for tips. – We still want people to contact the police on 02800 if they have observations that may be relevant to the case. The husband and son agree to that call. Bengt Lindholm, the husband of missing Arnhild Lindholm. Photo: Simen Wingstad – We hope we get answers to what has happened. It is demanding to walk and bear the uncertainty, say father and son Lindholm.
ttn-69
The family hopes for answers – news Troms and Finnmark
