ÅL/OSLO (Aftenposten): – This is completely unimaginable. It will probably affect Torpo and Ål for a long time to come, says the mayor. Two adults and two young adults who are related to each other were found dead on Saturday.
Published: 24/03/2024 10:55 | Updated: 24/03/2024 20:31
– A weapon has been found which we per now believes can be linked to the incident. This is what police attorney Ann Iren Svane Mathiassen says to NRK.
On Sunday afternoon, Mathiassen spoke to the press about the case, which is being investigated as a murder and suicide in Torpo i Ål in Hallingdal. The family of four were found dead on Saturday night. It concerns a mother, father and two adult children.
The police will not tell Aftenposten what kind of weapon is involved.
– This is part of what we will be questioning witnesses about, says Mathiassen.
The police were notified on Saturday at 3pm when one of the four dead did not turn up for an appointment. According to VG, it was the daughter in the family who did not show up.
The police then went to the house where the family lives, but left again when they could not make contact with the family. At 8pm on Saturday they went back and found the dead.
– What is the reason why the police did not enter the house at 3pm?
– The police regularly take such welfare checks, as we call them. It’s not like we can just get into the house. After being there, we did more research. Time passed without us getting in touch with the family. That led us to go back, says Mathiassen.
Open church
The small town of Torpo in Ål has only around 400 inhabitants. On Sunday, the church was open between 15 and 18. The parish priest in Hallingdal, Sveinung Hansen, says that the church has assisted the municipality’s psychosocial team.
– An incident like this has a strong impact. We are a small place. There are two young people who are among the dead, and young people in particular probably need to search together, he says.
Hansen says there is still a feeling that much is unanswered.
– This will be a completely different holiday for us. It will leave its mark on Easter.
At 6 pm the last inhabitants left Torpo church. Aftenposten spoke to several of those affected. They do not want their name in the newspaper, but describe the same thing: A feeling of unreality and sadness.
On Sunday, it is quiet in the neighborhood where the family lived. The police go around and make inquiries at the neighbours. A larger area is cordoned off around the family home. The four deceased were taken away on Sunday evening.
Small town in sorrow
– You would never think that something like this would happen in such a small place. It is completely unimaginable, says a neighbor to Aftenposten.
This is usually a quiet neighborhood, she says. The neighbor woke up in shock when she saw all the police cars outside the house during the night and early hours of Sunday.
The neighbor says she did not hear or react to anyone in particular on Saturday.
No one has yet been charged with the murders. The police announced this in a press release at 1.30pm on Sunday.
A charge may come during Monday, according to Hallingdølen:
– Crime scene technicians work at the scene. We want them to have a proper review. But we are starting to get an idea of who the perpetrator is, says police attorney Mathiassen to the newspaper.
Four people lived in the house
There are four people registered at the address who have been found dead. The police have no indications that more people are involved in the incident.
– They are related to each other. It is about two adults and two young adults, confirmed police station chief Brit Fyksen at Midtre Hallingdal police station at the press conference on Sunday morning.
The police are not aware that anyone had contact with the family after 3pm on Saturday.
– The police still have no information that anyone had contact with them after that time, says Mathiassen to Aftenposten. She emphasizes that autopsy and crime scene investigations must be carried out before the time when the dead can be determined.
– Do the police know if the family has had contact with child welfare or mental health services?
– It is natural to investigate this in order to map out motives.
The police could not confirm the identity of the deceased on Sunday. They are waiting for an autopsy to be completed.
No one arrested
From before, this is known about the case:
- The police have an idea about when the four people died, but have not wanted to say when.
- The police have not said anything about the cause of death.
- Neighbors observed people living at the address on Friday afternoon, according to VG. Saturday, however, was quiet.
- The police currently have no indications that other people are involved. The police have not reported any arrests.
– Striking
Mayor of Ål municipality Solveig Vestenfor says the incident will affect the village for a long time to come.
– This is a defining experience and completely unimaginable. This will probably affect Torpo and Ål for a long time to come, said Vestenfor during the press conference.
The municipality’s crisis team is present and follows up the next of kin.
