Danish inventor admits to dismembering journalist, denies murder
A Danish inventor has admitted dismembering journalist Kim Wall on his submarine. Photo: IWMF
Danish inventor Peter Madsen has admitted to dismembering Swedish journalist Kim Wall on board his home-made submarine and dumping her body parts in the sea, but still denies killing her.
Madsen claims Ms Wall died from carbon monoxide poisoning inside the submarine in August, while he was on the deck of the vessel, Danish police said in a statement.
He previously claimed in court she had died when she hit her head on a hatch, a theory that was disproved when divers recovered her severed head, which showed no signs of fractures.
“This explanation of course causes police to want to get further supplemental statements from the medical examiner, as well from the defence ministry’s submarine experts,” chief investigator Jens Moeller Jensen said.
Danish police said they would now extend the charges against Madsen, which already include murder and mutilating Ms Wall’s body, to include sexual assault without intercourse based on 14 interior and exterior stab wounds to the journalist’s genitals.
Madsen denies the murder and sexual assault charges.
Ms Wall, a freelance journalist who was researching a story on Madsen, went missing after he took her out to sea in the 17-metre submarine.
Police later identified a headless female torso that washed ashore in Copenhagen as Ms Wall’s.
Earlier this month, police said they had also recovered Ms Wall’s head and legs.
Madsen (R) faces new sexual assault charges. Photo: EPA
Investigators said the remains showed no sign of skull fracture, despite Madsen’s earlier account that she had been hit in the head by the hatch cover.
Police divers continue to search the Bay of Koege as they look for Ms Wall’s arms, and both her and Madsen’s mobile phones.
Madsen voluntarily accepted the prosecutor’s request to extend his custody until November 15, his lawyer said, meaning he will not appear in court on Tuesday (local time) as initially planned.
– with agencies