Norway Norway - Isdalen, WhtFem 503UFNOR, multiple aliases, multilingual, Nov'70

[macrauchenia]

I think they were talking about the gasoline (aka petrol) used to light her on fire. What she inhaled (which contributed to her death) was definitely the smoke. I think the translations just made it a bit confusing.

Thanks. There had been some confusion, because at least one person on this thread presented a summary of the Isdal woman's murder that included an apparently elaborate car exhaust-pipe gassing scenario prior to her being set on fire. The theory was an attempt to explain the carbon monoxide finding at autopsy, which I thought was better explained by smoke inhalation, but then I was not 100% sure if that was correct.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I wonder if there have been any further developments in this case. The website with all the updates is not very well organised in terms of trying to work out what is most recent. There doesn't look to be anything new but I may just be overlooking it. If only they put dates on each item.

 

[John Wiborg]

The latest development is that the investigators are waiting for two extended DNA analyses abroad. This has taken longer than expected, according to a norwegian podcast published by NRK in march 2017.

 

[dotr]

The latest development is that the investigators are waiting for two extended DNA analyses abroad. This has taken longer than expected, according to a norwegian podcast published by NRK in march 2017.

Welcome to Ws John Wiborg!
:Welcome1:

 

[MelmothTheLost]

The latest development is that the investigators are waiting for two extended DNA analyses abroad. This has taken longer than expected, according to a norwegian podcast published by NRK in march 2017.

Thanks. Unfortunately my Norwegian is not sufficient (yet) to read these articles myself and Google translate is still making a dog's dinner of some of them.

ETA, do you know if isotope analysis is also being carried out to help pinpoint her place of origin?

 

[John Wiborg]

If I do recall correctly, there were talks of doing a lead (Pb) analysis to ascertain her geo biological origin earlier in the podcast series, unsure if this is ongoing or even started. According to the latest podcast, two major analyses are being conducted (as I said, albeit with one correction to my initial statement): one extended DNA analysis and another one focusing on the enamel of her teeth. Both are ongoing, and thus far (as of march 2017), not completed. They "promised" answers within a few weeks of said podcast, I reckon there will be another episode come next week, hopefully.

 

[GreyClay]

There is quite a detailed article on the BBC website today, with a great introduction to the case (timeline, photos etc...) for those who are not overly familiar with the case.

Isdal Woman: The mystery death haunting Norway for 46 years

By Helier Cheung
BBC News, Bergen

13-05-2017

It's a mystery that has intrigued Norway for nearly 50 years.

In November 1970, the badly burnt body of a woman was found in a remote spot in Norway's Isdalen valley.

And as police started investigating her death, they uncovered a trail of coded messages, disguises, and fake identities - but never cracked the case.

Forty-six years later, Norwegian police and NRK Journalists have decided to reopen the investigation.
This is the story of the Isdal Woman - and the perplexing trail of clues she left behind.

WARNING: This article contains one graphic image

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39369429

 

[Daanjel]

As I understand the DNA report has stated that she is of European origin, with parents from Europe. Earlier they have stated that - after looking at her writing - she has learned to write in a French speaking country.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

There is quite a detailed article on the BBC website today, with a great introduction to the case (timeline, photos etc...) for those who are not overly familiar with the case.

Thanks for that. There was no new information there for me but it's the first time I've seen photos of her watch and jewellery (earrings?). I've been trying to make out the make of her watch and the nearest I can come up with is Oris, a Swiss manufacturer. It could be Omega but the name on the dial looks to be too short for that. Either way, Oris/Omega or a dealer in vintage watches might be able to provide more information if they were shown the watch.

New Oris women's watches currently sell in a range from £1,000 to £1,500 ($1,300 - $1,900) so they weren't cheap but they weren't in the Rolex bracket either.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Ahhh Websleuths, you never let me down! I just read about this on the BBC and came straight here to see if we were on it... only 9 years late, Cags!

 

[SomeoneElse333]

Ahhh Websleuths, you never let me down! I just read about this on the BBC and came straight here to see if we were on it... only 9 years late, Cags!

I did the same thing. [emoji272]

The above is just my opinion.

 

[Beamie]

I just sent an email to my contact person at NRK, the newspaper who's posting everything about this story.
I've asked them to add the new articles in English, and also asked them to add english subtitles to their videos. I tried to tell them how huge this story is internationally. Hopefully they'll translate everything from now on.

I'll keep you updated

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I just sent an email to my contact person at NRK, the newspaper who's posting everything about this story.
I've asked them to add the new articles in English, and also asked them to add english subtitles to their videos. I tried to tell them how huge this story is internationally. Hopefully they'll translate everything from now on.

I do think getting this information out there in English could be key to solving this case, and I suspect it's suffered over the years partly because so few people could access the available material in Norwegian.

It's possible that if evidence emerges that she might have been an agent for one of the communist states of central and eastern Europe, the governments of those countries may be willing to put their hands up to it now if pressed. But if she was a Russian/Soviet agent then there's no chance of that in the current climate. Gorbachov or Yeltsin might have come clean but Putin certainly won't.

 

[Beamie]

Keep in mind it's Sunday today, so most likely nothings gonna happen today.

But I know he's interested in how much publicity this story gets. I'll tell you as soon as I know anything.

But I know for sure that the more people they reach, the better it is, lol, just as any newspaper. But they deserve it, they've really been doing a great job with this story

 

[fred&edna]

There was an approximate 6 month break in her movements from early April (Brussels)* to late October (Stavanger)* and I've always been curious as to why no one was able to determine her whereabouts (under any of the aliases) during this time. Was there information and/or speculation that I might have missed??

Police find the woman had stayed in the following hotels, under these names:

Genevieve Lancier, from Louvain, stayed in Viking Hotel, Oslo from 21-24 March 1970
Claudia Tielt, from Brussels, stayed in Hotel Bristol, Bergen from 24-25 March
Claudia Tielt, from Brussels, stayed in Hotel Skandia, Bergen from 25 March to 1 April*
Claudia Nielsen, from Ghent, stayed in KNA-Hotellet, Stavanger from 29 -30 October*
Alexia Zarne-Merchez, from Ljubljana, stayed in Neptun Hotel, Bergen from 30 October to 5 November
Vera Jarle, from Antwerp, stayed in Hotel Bristol, Trondheim, from 6-8 November
Fenella Lorch, stayed in St Svithun Hotel, Stavanger from 9 to 18 November
Ms Leenhouwfr, stayed in Hotel Rosenkrantz, Bergen from 18 - 19 November
Elisabeth Leenhouwfr, from Ostend, stayed in Hotel Hordaheimen, Bergen from 19-23 November

 

[Jems]

Between the "French" writing style and a lot of the places she claimed to be from being in Belgium, my guess is she will turn out to have been from Belgium.

 

[fred&edna]

Between the "French" writing style and a lot of the places she claimed to be from being in Belgium, my guess is she will turn out to have been from Belgium.

'Just noticed these aliases were also locations.

Lorch, Rhein
Tielt, Belgium
Lorch (Hesse Germany)

'Still looking at others for connections.

 

[Jems]

Well, just to add to that, 'Leenhouwfr' appears to be a made up surname.
However 'Leenhouwers' is a mainly dutch surname, with some belgian use.

 

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]'Major breakthrough' in Norway's 46-year-old Isdal woman mystery[/h]

New forensic analysis on the teeth of the unidentified "Isdal woman" found chemical traces which may tell investigators where she grew up.

The results narrow the search to an area along the French-German border.

The case received fresh impetus after journalists from Norway's national broadcaster NRK began an inquiry.

The NRK team, which has been researching the case for over a year, hailed the new information as a "major breakthrough".

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39978131

 

[dotr]

'Major breakthrough' in Norway's 46-year-old Isdal woman mystery

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39978131

Very exciting and interesting, thanks for posting this!
Wondering if the woman might be Jewish? imo, speculation.
From the link..
rbbm

And while the age of the woman at the time her death was unknown, some of the indicators in the teeth suggest she may have moved just before or during World War II, NRK reports.

NRK's investigative reporters have been working on the mystery for over a year.
"I am starting to believe that we might actually find her real identity," team member Marit Higraff said.
"Now the area that we have to comb is much smaller than even we had hoped for. Maybe this 46-year-old mystery can come to an end."