Lake Bodom murders
Encyclopedia
The Lake Bodom murders were an infamous multiple homicide that took place in Finland
in 1960. Lake Bodom
is a lake
by the city of Espoo
, about 22 kilometres west of the country's capital, Helsinki
. In the early hours of June 5, 1960, four teenagers were camping on the shores of Lake Bodom. Between 4AM and 6AM, an unknown person or people murdered three of them with a knife and blunt instrument wounding the fourth. The sole survivor, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson
, led a normal life until 2004, when he became a suspect and was subsequently charged. In October 2005, a district court found Gustafsson not guilty of all charges against him.
The murders have proven to be a popular subject in the Finnish media and commonly return to the headlines whenever new information or theories surface.
that he was the Lake Bodom murderer. On the day of the murders he was working in a kiosk
near the lake and had sold lemonade to the victims. He was generally known to have hard feelings about campers. However, a police investigation disproved his claims and found an alibi for the man (he was allegedly sleeping at his home with his wife and close friend Tobias Hallberg, who verified it).
In 2003, Professor Jorma Palo published a book outlining his theory about the murder. In 1960, Palo had worked as a doctor at a nearby hospital. Shortly after the murders, he had treated a highly suspicious man for his injuries at the hospital. The man was the German
-born Hans Assmann
, allegedly a KGB
agent. According to Palo, the lack of a thorough investigation into Assmann's involvement was a diplomatic cover-up. The police denied this and claimed Assmann had a valid alibi.
The trial started on August 4, 2005. The prosecution called for life imprisonment for Gustafsson. It argued that the re-examination of the old evidence using modern techniques such as DNA profiling raises suspicion towards Gustafsson. The defense argued that the murders were the work of one or more outsiders and that Gustafsson would have been incapable of killing three people given the extent of his injuries. On October 7, 2005 Gustafsson was acquitted of all charges.
On his acquittal, the State of Finland paid him €
44,900 for mental suffering caused by the long remand time.
, who are also from Espoo, derive their name from the lake. All the band members looked for good names in their local phone book after the record label said they needed a heavier name. When they stumbled upon Lake Bodom, they felt it was a name with impact and one behind which was a story they found interesting.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1960. Lake Bodom
Lake Bodom
Lake Bodom is a lake in Finland located on the suburbs of the city of Espoo, not far from Helsinki. The lake measures approximately three kilometers in length and one kilometer in width....
is a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
by the city of Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
, about 22 kilometres west of the country's capital, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. In the early hours of June 5, 1960, four teenagers were camping on the shores of Lake Bodom. Between 4AM and 6AM, an unknown person or people murdered three of them with a knife and blunt instrument wounding the fourth. The sole survivor, Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson
Nils Gustafsson
Nils Wilhelm Gustafsson is the sole survivor of the Lake Bodom murders in Finland in 1960. Gustafsson was a bus driver and lived a normal life until 2004, when he was arrested on suspicion of committing the murders....
, led a normal life until 2004, when he became a suspect and was subsequently charged. In October 2005, a district court found Gustafsson not guilty of all charges against him.
The murders have proven to be a popular subject in the Finnish media and commonly return to the headlines whenever new information or theories surface.
Victims
- Maila Irmeli Björklund, 15 years old at time of death. Stabbed and bludgeoned
- Anja Tuulikki Mäki, 15 years old at time of death. Stabbed and bludgeoned
- Seppo Antero Boisman, 18 years old at time of death. Stabbed and bludgeoned
- Nils Wilhelm GustafssonNils GustafssonNils Wilhelm Gustafsson is the sole survivor of the Lake Bodom murders in Finland in 1960. Gustafsson was a bus driver and lived a normal life until 2004, when he was arrested on suspicion of committing the murders....
, 18 years old at the time. Survived, having sustained concussion, fractures to the jaw and facial bones and bruises to the face.
Theories
Some years later – between June 3 and 6, 1972 (approximately the twelfth anniversary of the killings) – a man announced in his suicide noteSuicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
that he was the Lake Bodom murderer. On the day of the murders he was working in a kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
near the lake and had sold lemonade to the victims. He was generally known to have hard feelings about campers. However, a police investigation disproved his claims and found an alibi for the man (he was allegedly sleeping at his home with his wife and close friend Tobias Hallberg, who verified it).
In 2003, Professor Jorma Palo published a book outlining his theory about the murder. In 1960, Palo had worked as a doctor at a nearby hospital. Shortly after the murders, he had treated a highly suspicious man for his injuries at the hospital. The man was the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born Hans Assmann
Hans Assmann
Hans Assmann was a German who later emigrated to Finland and still later to Sweden. Allegedly, he was a KGB spy. A known fact is that he lived in Finland in 1950s and 1960s....
, allegedly a KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
agent. According to Palo, the lack of a thorough investigation into Assmann's involvement was a diplomatic cover-up. The police denied this and claimed Assmann had a valid alibi.
Arrest of Nils Gustafsson
In late March 2004, almost 45 years after the event, Nils Gustafsson was arrested by the police on suspicion of having murdered his three friends. In early 2005, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation declared the case was solved based on some new analysis on the blood stains. According to the official statement, Gustafsson erupted in jealous anger over his feelings for Björklund, his new girlfriend. She was stabbed multiple times after the fatal blow, while the two other teenagers were killed less savagely. Gustafsson's own injuries, while notable, were less severe.The trial started on August 4, 2005. The prosecution called for life imprisonment for Gustafsson. It argued that the re-examination of the old evidence using modern techniques such as DNA profiling raises suspicion towards Gustafsson. The defense argued that the murders were the work of one or more outsiders and that Gustafsson would have been incapable of killing three people given the extent of his injuries. On October 7, 2005 Gustafsson was acquitted of all charges.
On his acquittal, the State of Finland paid him €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
44,900 for mental suffering caused by the long remand time.
Cultural impact
The Finnish melodic death metal band Children of BodomChildren of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
, who are also from Espoo, derive their name from the lake. All the band members looked for good names in their local phone book after the record label said they needed a heavier name. When they stumbled upon Lake Bodom, they felt it was a name with impact and one behind which was a story they found interesting.
See also
- List of unsolved murders and deaths
- Kyllikki SaariKyllikki SaariAuli Kyllikki Saari was a 17-year-old girl whose murder in 1953 is one of the most infamous Finnish homicide cases of all time. Her murder in Isojoki remains unsolved....
- another unsolved Finnish murder