Police consider death by elk in murder case

A former murder investigation has been reviewed by police who now suspect a 63-year-old woman found dead in Småland, southern Sweden, last year was killed by an elk. The woman’s body was found by a lake close to the village of Loftahammar in September 2008.

She was last seen taking her family dog out for a walk in the forest. When she did not return home her husband ventured out to look for her and found her dead body. The 68-year-old was immediately arrested and detained on suspicion of murder. He was held in police custody for five months.

“When my children and I buried my wife I was still suspected of killing her,” he said. After an autopsy failed to determine the cause of death, further analysis was conducted.



An investigation by Sweden’s National Laboratory of Forensic Science concluded that strands of hair found on the woman’s body and clothes came from a species of deer. Elk experts at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå also confirmed that saliva from an elk was found on the woman’s clothes.

The man was released in January without charge when the investigation took a new course. Police have refrained from commenting on details of the case so far but a press conference will be held in Västervik on Tuesday to explain the current state of the investigation.

An elk expert will also be in attendance to explain the findings of the forensic analysis.