Interpol Expands Cold Case Initiative to Identify Murdered Women Across Europe
Police forces across Europe are intensifying efforts to solve cold cases involving murdered or suspiciously deceased women through an expanded campaign known as Operation Identify Me. On Tuesday, Interpol announced that law enforcement agencies from three additional countries—France, Italy, and Spain—are joining the initiative, which previously included Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Since its inception last year, the operation has targeted 22 female victims, and with the recent inclusion of new countries and additional cases, the number of unidentified women whose identities are being sought has now reached 46.
The initiative has already proven fruitful, generating over 1800 tips from the public. Notably, the operation led to the identification of Rita Roberts, a British woman whose remains were found in Antwerp in 1992, thanks to a distinct flower tattoo on her body.
Interpol's Secretary General Jürgen Stock expressed the organization’s commitment to providing answers to families and delivering justice for victims. "Our goal is simple," Stock stated. "We want to identify the deceased women, bring answers to families, and deliver justice to the victims. But we can't do it alone. That is why we are appealing to the public."
The Identify Me campaign features a dedicated website showcasing details of each case, including facial reconstructions and images of personal belongings such as jewelry and clothing found at the crime scenes. It also incorporates information from black notices, which are typically reserved for police use, revealing crucial details like locations, biometric data (including DNA and fingerprints), and dental charts.
Among the cases under review is that of 'the girl with the 10 pence coin,' whose body was discovered in November 1982 in Le Cellier, France. This unidentified victim was believed to be around 16 years of age at the time of her death, carrying a British 10 pence coin and a metal keyring shaped like Napoleon. Other notable cases include 'the woman who wasn’t alone,' found in a hotel room in Spain in 1999 with her hands tied, and 'the woman with the panther and scorpion tattoos,' discovered in the Po River in Carbonara di Po, Italy, in 2008.
The collaboration among the six participating nations extends to the sharing of analytical capabilities, advanced forensic methods, and techniques like DNA profiling and isotopic analysis. These tools may help uncover vital clues about the victims' origins, lifestyles, and causes of death.
Stock emphasized that even the smallest piece of information from the public could be pivotal in solving these cases. "A memory, a tip, or a shared story—the smallest detail could help uncover the truth. The public could be the key to unlocking a name, a past, and in delivering long-overdue justice."
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