- Unsolved murder mystery from 1985: who was responsible for the demise of 15-year-old Ulla Lilienthal?
It's on a Wednesday, January 23, 1985, when 15-year-old Ulla Lilienthal, residing in Isernhagen, Lower Saxony, together with her mom, departs for a nearby bus stop. Ulla, being the sixth out of eight siblings, attends a vocational school. That day, she plans to meet a pal at a youth center situated in Großburgwedel.
They hang out in the room, groove to tunes, try on garments, and dine together. Ulla then departs, without revealing her destination. Her friend later informs the authorities that she spotted the teen again in the city's central district. Given her history of spending prolonged periods away from home, she's not reported missing until a full week later, on February 2.
On that same day, hikers discover Ulla's clothing in a woodland vicinity close to Großburgwedel. As many as eight days later, on February 10, her body is found around 4:45 PM near the "Sprillgehege" parking lot. Naked, she was discovered in a ditch, having been strangled with a red net stocking. Regardless of the absence of hard proof, the law enforcement doesn't dismiss a sexual crime.
The Wednesday Incident on "Aktenzeichen XY"
It seems likely that the murderer and the teenager crossed paths shortly following their encounter at her friend's place. Two adolescents, 16 and 17 years old, become suspects – both residing in the same youth center where Ulla's pal stays. The younger one reportedly donned Ulla's red sweater post her disappearance, while the other had a red net stocking. However, neither can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Both suspects are now considered cleared. The case remains unsolved, but investigators suspect the culprit must have possessed a vehicle, as the crime scene is somewhat remote.
In 2020, the Hannover police's Cold Case unit revisits the case, utilizing advanced analysis methods to scrutinize the recovered items for DNA residues. The detectives aspire that the blended DNA found on the evidence might be matched to a suspect. In December 2023, the police distribute over 11,000 flyers and install massive posters in Burgwedel, Isernhagen, and neighboring areas.
Can an appeal on "Aktenzeichen XY" help crack the case? That's what the investigators hope, as they divulge the case on Wednesday (kicking off at 8:15 PM on ZDF). A reward of 5,000 euros is offered for tips potentially leading to the arrest of the offender.
Take a look at the video above: Sniffer dogs bring breakthrough in cold case: Can Katrin's body be found after 35 years?
The two suspects, who were both linked to the youth center where Ulla's friend resided, were from Germany. After revisiting the case in 2020, the Hannover police distributed flyers and posters across various cities in Germany, hoping for new leads.
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