Law enforcement agencies in six European nations, along with Interpol, are reexamining investigations into 46 women who were either murdered or died under dubious circumstances to facilitate the identification of their remains, the international police organization announced.
“Our aim is to … provide answers to families and seek justice for the victims,” stated Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
Some of these unresolved cases date back many years.
This initiative expands on an “Identify Me” campaign launched by Interpol in 2023, which aimed to identify 22 deceased women and generated approximately 1,800 tips from the public.
“Even the tiniest bit of information can be crucial in aiding the resolution of these cold cases,” Mr. Stock mentioned.
“Whether it’s a recollection, a lead, or a shared narrative, even the smallest detail could help reveal the truth,” he added in the statement.
The Identify Me campaign achieved a significant milestone in November of last year when it was announced that the body of a woman, discovered murdered 31 years ago in a river in Belgium, had been confirmed as that of Briton Rita Roberts.
Ms. Roberts was identified more than thirty years later, thanks to a unique tattoo of a black flower with green leaves, which was recognized by a relative in Britain.
A family member recognized Rita Roberts’ distinctive tattoo
Interpol is sharing images of the women’s faces, along with pictures of items like jewelry and clothing found at the various locations where the remains were located.
“The objective of the Identify Me campaign is straightforward. We strive to identify the deceased women, provide families with answers, and ensure justice for the victims,” Mr. Stock stated.
“The public could be instrumental in unlocking a name, a history, and achieving long-overdue justice.”
In the renewed investigation, police forces will combine their analytical resources and forensic techniques, such as DNA profiling and facial reconstruction.
Interpol has published excerpts of so-called Black Notice alerts on its website regarding these cases, which are requests for information on unidentified bodies that are traditionally only circulated among law enforcement agencies.
The alerts contain information from biometric data to physical descriptions of the body or clothing.
