Interpol is appealing to the public for assistance in solving 46 cold cases involving unidentified women who were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances. This initiative follows a grim discovery of a young woman’s body, found raped, strangled, and burned in a German forest, which is among several cases highlighted in the campaign.
On Tuesday, Interpol shared details about these cold cases, some of which date back decades, in hopes of generating leads that could lead to justice for the victims and closure for their families.
Among the victims is a woman discovered in June 2021 in a bag in Saint-Denis, France, and another whose body was found in a hotel room in Premia de Mar, Spain, in 1999. These cases have been added to Interpol’s Identify Me appeal, initiated in May 2023, seeking help to identify 22 deceased women. This campaign has already garnered approximately 1,800 tips from the public.
A notable success in the previous campaign involved the identification of Rita Roberts, a woman from Cardiff, Wales, whose family recognized her unique tattoo featured in the news coverage shortly after the appeal was launched. Roberts, who went missing in May 1992, was found dead in Antwerp, Belgium, shortly thereafter.
Interpol has made information about the new cases available on its website, including facial reconstructions and images of personal items found with the remains. These cold cases span various countries, including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Spain, as the campaign enters its second phase.
“We aim to identify these deceased women, provide answers to their families, and secure justice for the victims, but we cannot accomplish this alone,” stated Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
“Even the smallest piece of information can be crucial in solving these cold cases. Whether it is a memory, a tip, or a shared story, every detail may help reveal the truth,” Stock added.
For the first time, Interpol is sharing parts of its Black Notice alerts—normally restricted to law enforcement—with the public. Each cold case includes a Black Notice, which contains valuable information such as where the body was found, dental records, descriptions of clothing, and biometric data like fingerprints and DNA.
“Every one of these deceased women has a story and family members who deserve answers,” Interpol stated. “We urge anyone with information to step forward and contribute to this important effort.”
Credit: CNN
