The police in Møre and Romsdal report that they have now received the final autopsy report
– From it, it appears that the woman probably died from mixed poisoning with ethanol and a centrally depressant drug. It has not been possible to determine the exact time of death, but findings indicate that she was dead before the fire started, says a press release from Møre og Romsdal police district.
The police further report that the basis for suspicion against the man, who is charged with murder, is weakened as a result.
– The grounds for suspicion regarding a breach of section 356 of the Criminal Code, cf. 355 (for recklessly causing a fire which could easily result in the loss of human life) remain unchanged, and the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, write the police.
The police state that the next of kin have been informed of the details they are giving out.
Call out after a report of a fire
On 10 December last year, the emergency services were called to a fire in a residential building in Valldal in Fjord municipality.
There they met a man in his 60s who lived in the house. He had gotten out on his own.
The following day, the police reported that a person had been found dead in the fire ruins. This was later confirmed as a woman in her 40s from Sunnmøre.
The woman and the man have previously been cohabitants.
Was under investigation for abuse
The police can now confirm that the accused was under investigation for abuse in close relations of the victim when the fire occurred, following a violent incident in March 2023.
Maria Vike Nørve is responsible for prosecuting the case.
– It was the police who opened the case against the man after this incident. In connection with this, the woman was offered several protective measures, which she did not want to accept, they say.
The police further state that the woman lived in Ålesund when she died. She had lived there since the summer of the same year. According to the police, the investigation indicates that the woman came to the house in Valldal voluntarily a few days before the fire.
– The investigation of the cases continues, says Maria Vike Nørve, the head of the prosecution.
The man charged in the case will be released from custody today, Wednesday.
The police believe that there is no longer any danger that the charges will destroy evidence in the case.
Lawyer Reidar Andresen is the man’s defender.
– My client has maintained all along that he is innocent and that there has been no reason to charge him with murder. This is supported and confirmed by the fact that the targeting is now weakened, he says.
– He has found it very burdensome to be blamed for killing a friend and to sit in detention for two months for something he did not do, adds Andresen.
Reidar Andresen is the defender of the accused man.
Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / NRK
Was charged with murder
The man in his 60s has been in custody since the fire in December.
He was initially charged with having caused a fire which could lead to loss of life, section 355 of the Criminal Code. This was later extended to also apply to Section 275 of the Criminal Code, murder.
The police in Møre og Romsdal have been investigating the case since December. Among other things, they have worked to secure digital traces.
Asking for tips
The police also want to get in touch with a possible witness.
– A witness the police have spoken to has observed a car which is said to have been parked along county road 63 near the crime scene a little after 18.00 on the same evening as the fire. It must be an older, low car, which is light in colour. We ask owners/drivers of the vehicle, or others who have seen the car, or have other tips in the matter to contact the police on 02800, they write in a press release.
2024-02-07 10:04:58
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