The Breakthrough is set in 2004 when the Swedish city of Linkoping was rocked by the cruel murders of 8-year-old Mohammed Ammouri and 56-year-old Anna-Lena Svensson. This incident remained unsolved for 16 years until advances in forensic genealogy brought about a breakthrough.
Netflix's series The Breakthrough explores this harrowing case while uncovering seven chilling details, which highlight the misdemeanors and final resolution of the investigation.
7 chilling details about the 2004 double murders from The Breakthrough
Here are seven chilling details about the 2004 Linköping double murders, as explored in Netflix’s The Breakthrough:
1) A child and a stranger were brutally murdered in broad daylight
The schoolboy was walking en route to his school on October 19, 2004, when unknown attackers ambushed him with knives. A 56-year-old woman, Anna-Lena Svensson, witnessed the incident and was also stabbed.
The incident was very shocking, especially since it happened in a neighborhood that was otherwise quiet, tranquil, and residential area of the city.
2) The random nature of the crime
There were no connections between Mohammed and Anna-Lena with the killer or with each other. This meant that there was no apparent motive for the police, making this one of Sweden's most confounding cases. The public did not like the idea that they might be next in line and had to fear the ongoing actions.
3) The DNA evidence that couldn’t solve the case
The weapon used in the murder and a cap belonging to the killer were recovered by the police and attached to his DNA material. Unfortunately, none of the profiles matched the critical evidence in national or international criminal databases at that time, thus leaving investigators at a dead end for years.
4) The killer lived nearby for 16 years
The murderer, Daniel Nyqvist, had lived right under the nose of the crime scene for 16 years. e led a normal life that raised no eyebrows.
5) The role of forensic genealogy
It stayed cold until 2020 when genealogist Peter Sjölund, using advanced DNA techniques, finally identified the killer. He managed to reconstruct a family tree, using publicly available genetic data, leading to Nyqvist. It was a similar method to what was used in catching the Golden State Killer.
6) The killer’s chilling confession
When Nyqvist was finally caught, he confessed to the murders without any hesitation. He said that he had been tormented by obsessive thoughts and believed he needed to kill two people to feel relief. His calm admission and lack of remorse shocked investigators.
7) A sentence reflecting mental illness
Nyqvist's psychological incapacity was judged to have a crucial bearing on his behavior. For committing the crime, he was given indefinite psychiatric treatment instead of prison confinement in 2020, because it was determined that he had no power over his impulses at the time of the act.
The Breakthrough on Netflix illustrates the constant pursuit of truth and the application of new-age technology for solving cold cases. It also reflects this area of history that is haunted by the bloody violence of murder crimes in Linköping and the impressive efforts involved in identifying the murderer.