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Murder of Kim Wall

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For the British actor, see Kim Wall (actor).

Murder of Kim Wall
Kim Wall
Native name Ubådssagen ("Submarine case")
Date10 or 11 August 2017
LocationKøge Bay, Denmark
PerpetratorPeter Madsen
ChargesMurder, indecent handling of a corpse, sexual assault[1]
Trial8 March – 25 April 2018 (2018-03-08 – 2018-04-25)
VerdictGuilty
SentenceLife imprisonment

The murder of Kim Wall, known in Denmark as Ubådssagen (transl. "The submarine case"),[2] took place on 10 August 2017, after Swedish freelance journalist Kim Wall boarded the midget submarine UC3 Nautilus, in Køge Bugt, Denmark, with the intent of interviewing its owner, Danish entrepreneur Peter Madsen.

Kim Isabel Fredrika Wall[3] was reported missing after Nautilus failed to return to the harbour at Refshaleøen, Copenhagen. The submarine was found sunken the following morning and Madsen was arrested upon being rescued from the water. Between 21 August and 29 November, parts of Wall's dismembered body were found in different locations around the area. Charged with her murder, Madsen was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on 25 April 2018 by Copenhagen City Court[4] following a widely publicised trial.[5]

On 20 October 2020, Madsen briefly escaped from prison by threatening a prison employee but was surrounded and apprehended by police 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the prison and taken into custody again. In 2020 a television dramatisation of the case was created by Tobias Lindholm.

Events

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Disappearance and discovery of remains

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UC3 Nautilus

On Thursday 10 August 2017, Wall and her partner Ole Stobbe were preparing to host a farewell party in Refshaleøen prior to their planned move to Beijing on 16 August.[6][7][8] Before the party, Wall received a text from Danish entrepreneur Peter Madsen—with whom she had requested an interview earlier in the year—inviting her to interview him on board his midget submarine UC3 Nautilus. She agreed to join him on the submarine for two hours and boarded Nautilus around 19:00 local time (UTC+2).[6][9] The submarine never returned to the harbour and Stobbe called the police at 01:43 that night to report Wall missing.[6] Nautilus was sighted in Køge Bay southeast of Amager by Drogden lighthouse at 10:30 the next morning; it foundered at 11:00.[9]

On 21 August, a cyclist found Wall's torso washed up on a beach in the southwest of Amager.[9] A post-mortem examination found fifteen stab wounds,[10] mostly in the groin.[11] Metal had been affixed to her torso in an attempt to ensure it did not float.[12] On 6 October, assisted by cadaver dogs provided by the Swedish police,[13][14] police divers found two plastic bags in Køge Bay containing Wall's head, legs, clothes and a knife;[15] six days later, a saw was found in the water.[16] On 21 and 29 November, police divers found Wall's arms in the bay.[17][18][19] Police probed possible links to other murder cases in Scandinavia, including the unsolved death of 22-year-old Kazuko Toyonaga in 1986 in Copenhagen, but did not find connections to any of them.[20][21][22]

[edit]
Peter Madsen

Madsen was arrested upon being rescued from Køge Bay after Nautilus foundered on August 11 and was charged with negligent manslaughter. Police suspected that he had scuttled the submarine.[23][24] Madsen initially stated that he had dropped Wall off on land,[25] but then admitted to dumping her body at sea after she died in what he claimed was an accident on board Nautilus.[23][24] He testified in a court hearing on 5 September that Wall died after being struck on the head by the submarine's hatch cover.[26] The prosecution said that police had found videos on Madsen's computer showing women being murdered,[27] and that witnesses said that Madsen watched videos of decapitation and practiced asphyxiation sex.[26] Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said that, while forensic investigations had not found any traces of Madsen's DNA on Wall's body, "... traces of semen" had been identified on underclothing secured from him after arrest. Madsen asserted that he had not ejaculated in Wall's presence.[28]

A post-mortem examination performed on Wall's head after it was found a month later found no signs of blunt force trauma[15] and did not determine the cause of death.[29][30] Madsen subsequently changed his story, admitting to dismembering Wall's body but continuing to deny intentionally killing her, saying that she may have died after poisonous exhaust gases entered the submarine while he was on deck.[31][32] The post-mortem performed on Wall's torso showed no signs of exhaust gases in her lungs.[33]

On 16 January 2018, Madsen was charged with murder, indecent handling of a corpse, and sexual assault. The prosecution accused him of having tortured Wall before killing her by cutting her throat or strangling her.[1][34] Madsen's trial began on 8 March at Copenhagen Court House.[35] On 25 April, he was convicted of all three charges and sentenced to life imprisonment.[4] Madsen appealed his sentence and on 26 September Østre Landsret, High Court of Eastern Denmark, upheld the sentence.[36][37]

Aftermath

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In August 2018, Madsen was admitted to hospital after being attacked in prison by an 18-year-old inmate.[38] In a Danish documentary in September 2020, Madsen admitted that he had killed Kim Wall.[39]

2020 prison escape attempt

[edit]

On October 20,2020, Madsen briefly escaped from prison by threatening a prison employee, said to have been a psychologist, using a "pistol-like object", before fleeing equipped with an object he claimed have a bomb belt. The bomb squad was deployed, and Madsen was surrounded and apprehended by police 500 metres (547 yd) from the prison, subsequently being taken back into custody.[40][41]

Legacy

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After her death, Wall's family and friends founded the Kim Wall Memorial Fund, aiming to fund female reporters to cover stories of cultural value.[42] A memorial run took place on 10 August 2018, the first anniversary of her murder, in which people around the world ran or walked a distance in her memory.[43][44] In October 2017, Wall was posthumously nominated for Prix Europa's Outstanding Achievement Award "Journalist of the Year".[45][46] On 9 November 2018, Wall's parents published a book in her memory titled Boken om Kim Wall: När orden tar slut (English: "The book of Kim Wall: When words end").[47] The book appeared in English in 2020 under the title A Silenced Voice and translated by Kathy Saranpa.[48] Also in 2018, Wall's boyfriend Stobbe related his experiences with the media coverage about the case in Danish newspaper Weekendavisen.[49][50]

TV portrayals

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Efterforskningen (English: The Investigation) is a Danish-language television dramatisation created by Tobias Lindholm, which follows the criminal investigation of the case. The six-part series premiered on 28 September 2020 on TV2 and SVT. It features Søren Malling as chief inspector Jens Møller, Pilou Asbæk as special prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen, Rolf Lassgård and Pernilla August as Wall's parents, and Laura Christensen as investigator Maibritt Porse.[citation needed]

The Investigation does not feature Madsen or the crime itself, but focuses on the investigative work leading to his indictment and conviction. It has been compared to the 2020 BBC series The Salisbury Poisonings.[51][52] The series was broadcast on UK's BBC Two between 22 January and 5 February 2021, remaining available on iPlayer for a year.[53][54] HBO began showing it on 1 February 2021.[55][56]

In March 2022, the TV mini-series Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall was released. Directed by Erin Lee Carr, the series is a documentary that covers both the crime and subsequent trial in two parts. [57][58][59]

In September 2022, the Netflix film Into The Deep: The Submarine Murder Case was released. Directed by Emma Sullivan, the film uses documentary footage of Madsen, his friends and interns, that was being filmed to document his quest to launch a rocket into space using his submarine as a command centre.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Henley, Jon (16 January 2018). "Peter Madsen formally charged with murder of Kim Wall on submarine". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  2. ^
    • "Ubådssagen". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
    • "Ubådssagen". DR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Danish freelance journalist Kim Wall's head found in the sea of Copenhegen". News Nation. News Nation Network Pvt Ltd. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b Orange, Richard (25 April 2018). "Peter Madsen sentenced to life for murdering journalist Kim Wall". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  5. ^ Orange, Richard (22 April 2018). "'Everyone is following it': millions gripped by Kim Wall murder trial as verdict nears". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b c "Nye oplysninger fra Kim Walls kæreste beskriver de sidste timer op til den skæbnesvangre sejlads". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 25 January 2018. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  7. ^ Jeong, May (15 February 2018). "The final, terrible voyage of the 'Nautilus'". Wired. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  8. ^ Olsen, Jan M. (6 March 2018). "Trial to begin in case of journalist killed in submarine". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "Kim Wall: Headless body identified as missing journalist". BBC News. 23 August 2017. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  10. ^ Henley, Jon (3 October 2017). "Kim Wall 'stabbed 15 times' onboard Danish inventor's submarine". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  11. ^ Sorensen, Martin Selsoe (4 October 2017). "Kim Wall was stabbed after boarding submarine, Danish prosecutor says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  12. ^ Sullivan, Emma (2022). Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Case (Video). Netflix.
  13. ^ Anderson, Christina (7 October 2017). "Danish Police Recover Body Parts of the Journalist Kim Wall (Published 2017)". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  14. ^ "Svenske lighunde hjalp med at finde Kim Walls hoved og ben" [Swedish corpse sniffing dogs helped find Kim Wall's head and legs]. DR (in Danish). 7 October 2017. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  15. ^ a b Fajstrup, Marianne (7 October 2017). "Kim Walls hoved er fundet – uden kraniebrud eller andre tegn på "stump vold"" [Kim Wall's head found – with no fracture and no blunt trauma]. b.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Sav fundet i Køge Bugt i forbindelse med ubådssagen" [Saw found in Køge bay in connection to the submarine case]. TV2 (in Danish). 12 November 2017. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  17. ^ Toft, Emma (29 November 2017). "Politiet har fundet endnu en arm med forbindelse til ubådssagen" [Police has found another arm connected to the submarine case]. DR.dk (in Danish). DR. Archived from the original on 30 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  18. ^ "Politiet har fundet endnu en arm i Køge Bugt" [Police finds another arm in Køge Bay]. TV2 (in Danish). 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  19. ^ Orange, Richard (7 January 2018). "A Copenhagen killing: the story behind the submarine murder". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Danish police probe possible link between Kim Wall killing and 1986 cold case". The Telegraph. 25 August 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  21. ^ Bakalus, Silla; Svensgaard, Karina (23 August 2017). "30 år efter makaber sag: Hænger uopklaret turist-mord sammen med ubådsmysteriet?" [30 years after macabre case: Is unsolved tourist murder linked to submarine mystery?]. BT.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  22. ^ "Norsk politi har undersøgt Peter Madsens dna-profil" [Norwegian police has checked the DNA profile of Peter Madsen]. TV2 (in Danish). 11 October 2017. Archived from the original on 18 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Kim Wall: Danish submarine was 'deliberately sunk'". BBC News. 13 August 2017. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  24. ^ a b Koerner, Claudia (12 August 2017). "Submarine builder arrested on suspicion of killing journalist after vessel sinks". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  25. ^ Kentish, Ben (30 October 2017). "Inventor admits dismembering body of Swedish journalist who disappeared on submarine". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  26. ^ a b Orange, Richard (5 September 2017). "Danish submarine owner claims journalist Kim Wall died when she was hit by hatch cover". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  27. ^ Thomsen, Julie Astrid (3 October 2017). "Danish inventor had murder videos on his computer: prosecutor". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  28. ^ Orange, Richard (8 March 2018). "Danish inventor denies murder of Kim Wall as trial opens". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  29. ^ "Journalist Kim Wall's head is found". BBC News. 7 October 2017. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  30. ^ Slawson, Nicola (7 October 2017). "Police find head of murdered Swedish journalist Kim Wall". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
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  32. ^ "Politiet præciserer udmelding om Peter Madsen efter kritik" [Clarification by the police after criticism]. TV2 (in Danish). 1 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  33. ^ "Coroner testifies in trial of submarine owner over death of Swedish journalist". The Local. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  34. ^ Sorensen, Martin Selsoe (2018). "Danish inventor abused Kim Wall before killing her, indictment says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  35. ^ Retspsykiater om Peter Madsens adfærd i retten: Han sidder med en stor fordel og 'leger' med retten (in Danish), 9 March 2018, archived from the original on 11 August 2018, retrieved 11 August 2018
  36. ^ Drama under ubådsagen: Domsmand kørt væk i ambulance (in Danish), 14 September 2018, archived from the original on 17 September 2018, retrieved 17 September 2018
  37. ^ Ilsøe, Trine Maria (26 September 2018). "Dom i ubådssagen: Peter Madsen idømt livstid i landsretten". dr.dk (in Danish). DR. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  38. ^ "Peter Madsen overfaldet af ung medfange" [Peter Madsen assaulted by a young fellow prisoner]. DR (in Danish). 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  39. ^ "Kim Wall: Danish inventor 'confesses murder' in new documentary". BBC News. 9 September 2020. Archived from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  40. ^ "Danish submarine killer Madsen caught in prison escape". BBC News. 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  41. ^ Peter Madsen: Police surround Danish inventor who killed journalist after prison escape attempt Archived 20 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine Sky News Retrieved 20 October 2020
  42. ^ "Kim Wall Memorial Fund". Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
  43. ^ "One year on: Kim Wall remembered around the world with run event". cphpost.dk. 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  44. ^ "Næsten 600 løb for Kim Wall – herunder den danske drabschef". Politiken (in Danish). 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  45. ^ Almlöf, Gabriel (16 October 2017). "Kim Wall kan vinna pris som Europas bästa journalist" [Kim Wall may win the prize for Europe's best journalist]. 24trelleborg.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  46. ^ "Nominations for Outstanding Achievement Award". prixeuropa.eu. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  47. ^ "Mother publishes book on murdered Swedish journalist Kim Wall". 11 November 2018. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  48. ^ "Journalist Kim Wall's Parents Show She Was More Than A Victim In 'A Silenced Voice'". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  49. ^ "Kim Walls pojkvän bryter tystnaden". 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  50. ^ Stobbe, Ole (8 August 2019). "Hvad medierne låner, leveres aldrig tilbage". Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  51. ^ "Tobias Lindholm: "'Utredningen' handlar om att hitta ljuset i ett svart hål"". DN.SE (in Swedish). 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  52. ^ https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2020-09-25/pernilla-august-forsta-tanken-var-nej-tack Archived 25 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine (in Swedish)
  53. ^ Rampton, James (20 January 2021). "How the writer of Borgen took on the murder of Kim Wall in The Investigation". Independent. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  54. ^ "BBC: The Investigation". Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  55. ^ "HBO TV Schedule". HBO.
  56. ^ D'Addario, Daniel (29 January 2021). "'The Investigation' Is 2021's First Great Drama: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  57. ^ Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall (Documentary, Biography, Crime), Abstract, Anchor Entertainment, Anonymous Content, 8 March 2022, retrieved 15 May 2022
  58. ^ Sarachan, Risa. "'Undercurrent' HBO Documentary Explores Story Behind The Murder Of Journalist Kim Wall". Forbes. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  59. ^ Undercurrent: The Disappearance of Kim Wall (TV Mini Series 2022) - IMDb, retrieved 15 May 2022
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