Peter Lundin
Encyclopedia
Bjarne Skounborg born Peter Kenneth Bostrøm Lundin, and more commonly known as Peter Lundin, is a Danish
convicted serial killer.
, Denmark in 1971 but his family migrated to the United States
when he was seven years old.
, North Carolina
and, with the help of his father, he buried her body on a beach at Cape Hatteras
, where it was found eight months later. In 1992, Lundin was sentenced
to 15 years imprisonment for the murder: his father, Ole Lundin, was sentenced to two years as an accomplice.
While serving this sentence, Peter Lundin was interviewed by Danish television in 1994, with his face painted partially black and quoting a poem on the "light and dark sides of life". After viewing this interview, a renowned Swedish psychologist, Sten Levander, awarded Lundin 39 points (of a possible 40) on the Psychopathy Checklist.
In 1999, Lundin was released from prison for capacity reasons and deported
to Denmark.
, but she kicked him out because he was violent with her. He met a woman called Marianne Pedersen, who worked in a brothel
. Pedersen and her two sons, who were living in Rødovre
near Copenhagen
, were declared missing on July 3, 2000, and Lundin initially claimed that they had left on vacation and he had agreed to paint their house. Police discovered blood traces in Pedersen's car and the basement of her house on July 5, 2000, and Lundin was promptly arrested. Further examinations of the house led to the conclusion that Pedersen and her sons had been killed and dismembered
. The detective in charge of the investigation, Niels Kjøller of the Hvidovre
Police Department, described the basement and garage of the house as resembling "slaughterhouses", despite Lundin's attempts to clean the crime scene. Discovery of human tissue revealed that Lundin had used an angle grinder
, and more than 100 visible markings in the floors revealed that he had also used an axe.
Three weeks later, Lundin changed his statement, claiming he heard screaming on the night of the crime and discovered that Pedersen had killed her sons. He found her passed out on drugs and fatally hit her, after which he dismembered the bodies. He claimed to have withheld this information because he knew the police wouldn't believe him because of his criminal past. On October 10, 2000, Lundin again changed his statement, this time admitting to the murders. He admitted to first killing Pedersen because she had been "talking sweetly" to a man on the telephone, on the night between June 16–17, 2000, then killing her sons. All three died of broken necks.
In 2001, a jury
sentenced Lundin to life imprisonment
for the crime. In spite of extensive searches, the dismembered bodies have never been found. Lundin's father, Ole, was sentenced to four months in prison for theft of items owned by Pedersen. Peter Lundin was found not to be insane. He initially served his sentence in the Herstedvester prison
in Albertslund near Copenhagen, but was later transferred to a new prison near Horsens
.
On September 29, 2008, it was reported that Peter Lundin had again been married while incarcerated (this time for the Pedersen murders), but got divorced shortly after.
After just 11 days, the woman filed for divorce, not because of his criminal past, but because she claimed he had lied to her about another woman who turned out to be his girlfriend at the time of the wedding.
On May 26, 2011 Lundin was married to a women named Bettina. They have been together since 2009.
called Peter Lundin a psychopath by writing the sentence We are, basically, not clinical psychopaths in the Peter Lundin category in an editorial not otherwise about Peter Lundin. This prompted Lundin to file a lawsuit. The lawsuit was settled in a court of law, clearing the journalist of charges with the explanation that the sentence should be taken as a statement that the plaintiff
is a clear-cut example of a psychopath in the sense of a deviating person .
, Pia Kjærsgaard
, called Peter Lundin callous in a program on TV 2
, which prompted Lundin to file a lawsuit against her demanding 100,000 kroner
in compensation. However Lundin lost the lawsuit.
to Bjarne Skounborg.
sparked a lot of debate when it announced plans in 2001 to cooperate with Lundin to write a book about him. The plans, however, were dropped shortly after the announcement - on the grounds that the book would not contain enough "news and quality content".
In 2003, the book Sagen Lundin. Forbrydelsen, opklaringen, medierne og ondskaben (The Lundin Case. The crime, the investigation, the media, and the evil) by Palle Bruus Jensen was released, including analyses by psychiatrist
Henrik Day Poulsen.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
convicted serial killer.
Early life
Peter Lundin was born in Solrød StrandSolrød Strand
Solrød Strand is a Danish town, seat of the Solrød Municipality, in the Region Sjælland. It is commonly known simply as Solrød. Its population 1 January 2011 was of 15,020 , including Jersie Strand, the southern part of the Solrød Strand urban area....
, Denmark in 1971 but his family migrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was seven years old.
First conviction
In April 1991, Lundin strangled his mother to death in Maggie ValleyMaggie Valley, North Carolina
Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, USA. The population was 607 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park.Maggie Valley is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and, with the help of his father, he buried her body on a beach at Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, where it was found eight months later. In 1992, Lundin was sentenced
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to 15 years imprisonment for the murder: his father, Ole Lundin, was sentenced to two years as an accomplice.
While serving this sentence, Peter Lundin was interviewed by Danish television in 1994, with his face painted partially black and quoting a poem on the "light and dark sides of life". After viewing this interview, a renowned Swedish psychologist, Sten Levander, awarded Lundin 39 points (of a possible 40) on the Psychopathy Checklist.
In 1999, Lundin was released from prison for capacity reasons and deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
to Denmark.
Second conviction
After returning to Denmark, Lundin moved in with his wife in MåløvMåløv
Måløv is a suburb within Ballerup Municipality, closely attached to Smørumnedre approx. 20 km. west of Copenhagen. The suburb had in 2006, 8681 inhabitants. The suburb is made up by single-family houses and a housing project. 93% of the inhabitants are native danes. The suburb is connected...
, but she kicked him out because he was violent with her. He met a woman called Marianne Pedersen, who worked in a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. Pedersen and her two sons, who were living in Rødovre
Rødovre
Rødovre Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Its mayor is Erik Nielsen, a member of the Social Democrats political party who hold a majority of seats in the council.-History:The municipality was created in 1901 when the parish of Rødovre was...
near Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, were declared missing on July 3, 2000, and Lundin initially claimed that they had left on vacation and he had agreed to paint their house. Police discovered blood traces in Pedersen's car and the basement of her house on July 5, 2000, and Lundin was promptly arrested. Further examinations of the house led to the conclusion that Pedersen and her sons had been killed and dismembered
Dismemberment
Dismemberment is the act of cutting, tearing, pulling, wrenching or otherwise removing, the limbs of a living thing. It may be practiced upon human beings as a form of capital punishment, as a result of a traumatic accident, or in connection with murder, suicide, or cannibalism...
. The detective in charge of the investigation, Niels Kjøller of the Hvidovre
Hvidovre
Hvidovre Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden near Copenhagen on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 22 km², and has a total population of 49,380...
Police Department, described the basement and garage of the house as resembling "slaughterhouses", despite Lundin's attempts to clean the crime scene. Discovery of human tissue revealed that Lundin had used an angle grinder
Angle grinder
An angle grinder, also known as a side or disc grinder, is a handheld power tool used for cutting, grinding and polishing.Angle grinders can be powered by an electric motor, petrol engine or compressed air. The motor drives a geared head at a right-angle on which is mounted an abrasive disc or a...
, and more than 100 visible markings in the floors revealed that he had also used an axe.
Three weeks later, Lundin changed his statement, claiming he heard screaming on the night of the crime and discovered that Pedersen had killed her sons. He found her passed out on drugs and fatally hit her, after which he dismembered the bodies. He claimed to have withheld this information because he knew the police wouldn't believe him because of his criminal past. On October 10, 2000, Lundin again changed his statement, this time admitting to the murders. He admitted to first killing Pedersen because she had been "talking sweetly" to a man on the telephone, on the night between June 16–17, 2000, then killing her sons. All three died of broken necks.
In 2001, a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
sentenced Lundin to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for the crime. In spite of extensive searches, the dismembered bodies have never been found. Lundin's father, Ole, was sentenced to four months in prison for theft of items owned by Pedersen. Peter Lundin was found not to be insane. He initially served his sentence in the Herstedvester prison
The Institution of Herstedvester
The Institution of Herstedvester is a closed prison in Herstedvester, Denmark, for treatment under the Danish Prison and Probation Service. It houses convicted felons and in some cases also people with custody rulings in need of psychiatric assistance and observation.Herstedvester was built in...
in Albertslund near Copenhagen, but was later transferred to a new prison near Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
.
Incarcerated marriages
Following the program on TV 2 in 1994, many women contacted Peter Lundin, and he married one of these, named Tina, while still serving in his US prison.On September 29, 2008, it was reported that Peter Lundin had again been married while incarcerated (this time for the Pedersen murders), but got divorced shortly after.
After just 11 days, the woman filed for divorce, not because of his criminal past, but because she claimed he had lied to her about another woman who turned out to be his girlfriend at the time of the wedding.
On May 26, 2011 Lundin was married to a women named Bettina. They have been together since 2009.
Violence against Peter Lundin
On July 27, 2000, that is before Lundin was sentenced for the murders, several inmates in the Vridsløselille prison assaulted Peter Lundin, supposedly because they were angry with his part in the murder of children.Lawsuit against journalist
A journalist on the Danish newspaper InformationDagbladet Information
Information , full name: Dagbladet Information , is a Danish newspaper published Monday through Saturday.Originally established and edited by Børge Outze and published during the World War II by the Danish resistance movement. Information was illegal during the war as it was not regulated by the...
called Peter Lundin a psychopath by writing the sentence We are, basically, not clinical psychopaths in the Peter Lundin category in an editorial not otherwise about Peter Lundin. This prompted Lundin to file a lawsuit. The lawsuit was settled in a court of law, clearing the journalist of charges with the explanation that the sentence should be taken as a statement that the plaintiff
Plaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
is a clear-cut example of a psychopath in the sense of a deviating person .
Lawsuit against Pia Kjærsgaard
In November 2008, leader of the Danish People's PartyDanish People's Party
The Danish People's Party is a political party in Denmark which is frequently described as right-wing populist by political scientists and commentators. The party is led by Pia Kjærsgaard...
, Pia Kjærsgaard
Pia Kjærsgaard
Pia Merete Kjærsgaard is a Danish politician. She is a co-founder and current leader of the Danish People's Party, a nativist, national conservative political party in Denmark...
, called Peter Lundin callous in a program on TV 2
TV 2 (Denmark)
TV 2 is a publicly owned television station in Denmark based in Odense. The station began broadcasting on 1 October 1988, thereby ending the television monopoly previously exercised by the Danmarks Radio ....
, which prompted Lundin to file a lawsuit against her demanding 100,000 kroner
Danish krone
The krone is the official currency of the Kingdom of Denmark consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It is subdivided into 100 øre...
in compensation. However Lundin lost the lawsuit.
Name change
While incarcerated for the murders committed in Denmark, Peter Lundin changed his nameName change
Name change generally refers to a legal act allowing a person to adopt a name different than their name at birth, marriage, or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change depend on the jurisdiction. In general, common law jurisdictions have loose limitations on name changes while civil law...
to Bjarne Skounborg.
Media
The publishing house of Danish newspaper Ekstra BladetEkstra Bladet
Ekstra Bladet is a Danish tabloid newspaper focusing on sensationalist stories. It gets a share of its income from sex ads. Since 1979 it has always had a partly or completely naked woman on page nine which is referred to as Side 9 Pigen , a Danish equivalent of the English Page Three girl...
sparked a lot of debate when it announced plans in 2001 to cooperate with Lundin to write a book about him. The plans, however, were dropped shortly after the announcement - on the grounds that the book would not contain enough "news and quality content".
In 2003, the book Sagen Lundin. Forbrydelsen, opklaringen, medierne og ondskaben (The Lundin Case. The crime, the investigation, the media, and the evil) by Palle Bruus Jensen was released, including analyses by psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Henrik Day Poulsen.