The case in summary The murder of Birgitte Tengs in 1995 is still unsolved, but there are several possibilities for further investigation. A reconstruction of the sequence of events has never been carried out, which many believe is a major shortcoming in the investigation. There are several pieces of clothing from the crime scene that can be examined for DNA, including Birgitte’s dress, panties and jacket. Five unidentified hairs found on Birgitte Tengs have been given great importance in the acquittal, and there may be a need for further investigation of these. Several believe that a confession may be the only way to find the killer, given the limited technical clues. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. In recent years, the police have spent a lot of resources on solving the murder of 17-year-old Birgitte Tengs, which happened on Karmøy in 1995. But after the verdict in the Gulating Court of Appeal on 5 December, it is clear that the murder case is still an unsolved mystery. So what happens next with the case now? The police have made it clear that they are not ruling out further investigation, but are waiting for the verdict to become final. news has also spoken to various actors who have worked on the murder at various times, and who have closely followed both the investigation and the trials. Some believe that only a confession can solve the murder, while others believe the police have several loose ends that can contribute to an explanation. In total, they point to at least four points that can solve the murder of Birgitte Tengs. Reconstruction Neither in 1995, when the murder of Birgitte Tengs occurred, after the false confession to the cousin in 1997 or in connection with the recent trials of the past year, has a reconstruction of the course of events been carried out. – This is the biggest shortcoming, says Grete Strømme. She has been involved in the murder since 1996, and for many years has worked on the case on behalf of Birgitte Tengs’ cousin. Strømme has also followed the last two trials closely, and believes the acquittal from the Court of Appeal is completely correct. – The police gambled that the DNA discovery was enough to convict the accused, says Strømme. Grete Strømme believes the police must do a proper reconstruction of the murder of Birgitte Tengs. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB The defenders of the man who was acquitted in the Court of Appeal have also wanted a reconstruction, but the prosecution has not agreed to this. news did an interview with lawyer Stian Kristensen, which was published on 22 October, in which he explained why a reconstruction was important to them. – Then we can see where it is expected that a perpetrator has taken, held, torn and dragged. We are looking for invisible traces, and then we have to know where to look, Kristensen said. Today, Kristensen does not want to comment on what the police should do going forward, but during the proceedings in the Court of Appeal, the defenders reiterated the need for a reconstruction. – In the Court of Appeal’s judgment, the prosecution is criticized for being speculative, and a reconstruction must be carried out precisely to avoid speculation. You have to find out what the technical tracks mean, says Strømme. Police Chief Hans Vik Sør-Vest police district will not rule out that it may be appropriate to carry out a reconstruction. – If we are to go further into the case, there will certainly be more measures and more investigative steps that need to be taken. A reconstruction could possibly be a measure, but it is too early to say anything about, says Vik. Police chief Hans Vik says that a new investigation into the Birgitte Tengs murder may be relevant, but that the verdict must become final before such a decision is made. Photo: Tom Edvindsen / news A reconstruction will also help to find out which items of clothing on Birgitte it would be natural to carry out new DNA tests on, believes Strømme. The clothes In the last court rounds, Birgitte Teng’s tights have been central. But there are more clothes. – There are several pieces of clothing that should be examined for DNA. Both the dress and the panties, for example, says Grete Strømme. Author and journalist Bjørn Olav Jahr has written a book and made a TV series about the murder of Birgitte Tengs. He pulls out Birgitte Tengs’ jacket. – If the perpetrator pulled Birgitte by the arms, you should check the jacket under the arms at the armpit for DNA, says Jahr. DNA samples from the tights of Birgitte Tengs have been the most central evidence in the last court rounds. Photo: The police When the pantyhose were examined again this year, the experts found DNA from at least four men. The judges have assumed that one is the man who has now been acquitted. The others have not been identified. The man who has now been acquitted in the Court of Appeal has always maintained his innocence, and according to lawyer Stian Kristensen, has been a driving force to get new DNA tests done – It is clear that DNA findings can be made on the rest of the clothes as well, said Kristensen to news on 22 October. The samples from the pantyhose have not been used up either. Prosecutor Nina Grande stated in court that half of the extracts have been stored. The hope is that one day in the future you can get even more out of the remaining samples by using new technology. State prosecutors Nina Grande and Thale Thomseth have not wanted to carry out a reconstruction. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news In addition, half a year after the murder, some clothes were found buried in Skudeneshavn. Strømme is surprised that the police have not looked further into this discovery. – These clothes must be interesting to examine thoroughly today, says Strømme. The unidentified hairs In the verdict of acquittal, five unidentified hairs found on Birgitte Teng were given great importance: “that it must be hair from at least five unknown persons, three of which are in or on Birgitte’s hands, but none from the defendant, in the view of the Court of Appeal clearly an information that speaks in the defendant’s favor.” Grete Strømme believes the police must do a more thorough job to find out what the hair find says. In total, hair from at least eight people has been found at Birgitte. – There cannot be eight perpetrators. Some experts must tell what hair is usually found during such murders, says Strømme. Police chief Hans Vik also does not want to rule out that new DNA tests can be carried out on Birgitte’s clothes and the unidentified hairs found on her. Bjørn Olav Jahr has written the book “Who killed Birgitte Tengs?”. Photo: Christian Ziegler Remme / Christian Ziegler Remme/news – If we are going to work further on the case, all traces with potential for clarification will be interesting, says Vik. Confession Several people news has spoken to do not think it is possible to find the killer, unless there is a confession. Former police investigator Leif A. Lier investigated the case on behalf of the cousin’s parents in 2000 and 2001. – I don’t see that there is much the police can do, says Lier. Leif A. Lier investigated the Tengs case on behalf of the cousin’s parents in 2000 and 2001. Photo: Runa Victoria Engen / news During the main proceedings, the defense also focused on two other people who they believed the police had not investigated thoroughly enough. Bjørn Olav Jahr is well aware of the suspicion against both of these two. – Doing something about these two dead people is difficult today, but the police have their reference samples. In any case, there are technical clues that may have to solve the murder, says Jahr.
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This is how they think the police should work further with the Tengs case – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
