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In short
- A father, mother and two young adults were found dead in a home in Torpo in Ål on Saturday evening.
- The father, Arne Slaatten (59), is accused of killing his wife Ingunn Slaatten (53) and their two children Sander (22) and Signe (18), before taking his own life.
- The murders, which the police believe happened while the victims were sleeping, are being investigated as murder and suicide.
- The local community and the family’s friends are in shock and grief after the incident.
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When the police entered the single-family home on Torpo in Ål on Saturday evening, they were met by a horrific sight: Inside the home, they found a father, a mother and two young adults dead.
The case is being investigated as a murder and suicide, and on Tuesday the police announced that it was Ingunn Slaatten (53) and her two children Sander (22) and Signe (18) who were found shot and killed.
The father, Arne Slaatten (59), is charged with having killed them, before he is said to have taken his own life. The police believe that the murders were committed while the victims were sleeping on the night of Saturday, and the provisional autopsy report shows that all died instantly.
These were killed
– At a loss for words
The police have been sparing with details regarding the investigation, and for several of the family’s friends and acquaintances the murders appear to be a mystery.
– This came as a surprise to us, says a couple of friends of the family to Dagbladet.
They got to know the family at Brusand Camping in Hå municipality 16-17 years ago, and have spent a lot of time with them during the holidays, they say.
– We have maintained our friendship and contact since then. We only have good words and experiences from this time and the time after, so we are at a loss for words and think this is just terribly sad, they say to Dagbladet.
When the police entered the family home at Torpo in Ål, they found Ingunn, Signe and Sander Slaatten dead. Video: Anabelle Bruun
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– Very good tone
The couple of friends, who live on Jæren in Rogaland, visited the family at their cottage for two or three days this summer. They have nothing but praise to say about the visit.
– It was just cuddles and good conversations at their cabin. There was good food, fishing, gambling and a good atmosphere, they say.
That the family man Arne is now charged with the murder of his wife and two children comes as a shock to them.
– We counted Arne as “full wood”, as we say at Jæren. A calm man, pleasant, warm and with a warm, nice sense of humour. We also experienced a very good tone between him, his wife and the children, say the couple.
The father accused of murder is not known to the police from before. In later years, and until his death, he has held several board positions in the village.
MURDER AND SUICIDE: The police believe that the murders were committed while the victims were sleeping in the detached house at Torpo in Ål on the night of Saturday. Photo: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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– Stood together about everything
The local community of Torpo, with only 400 inhabitants, is in shock and grief after the murders. A colleague describes the late mother, who was a teacher at Torpo school for 20 years, as “generous, kind and good”.
– Ingunn was the most wonderful lady I have ever met. So generous, kind and good. A lady with a real bone in her nose, and extremely good at her job as a teacher. Always cheerful and happy when you meet her, and always something to tell, said the colleague to Dagbladet on Tuesday.
– As a family, it seemed like the perfect family. They often posted pictures and updates about what they had been up to on weekends and holidays. A family that stood together in everything, and supported each other in everything, the colleague continued.
The murders concern us all
– Hope for more answers
Police prosecutor Ann Iren Svane Mathiassen states that it is still too early to say anything about the underlying reasons for the murders.
– We hope to get more answers, but it is not a given that we will, says Svane Mathiassen.
The police have previously stated that there were no signs of a struggle in the home, and that the preliminary autopsy report shows that all four were shot with the same weapon.
TOO EARLY TO TELL: The police have not yet found a possible motive for the murders at Torpo, says police attorney Ann Iren Svane Mathiassen. Photo: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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Clarifying why no one in the neighborhood heard anything on the night of Saturday is part of the further investigation.
– We don’t know why no one in the neighborhood has heard anything. So far, our investigations show that silencers were not used during the murders, says Svane Mathiassen.
The police have collected large amounts of material and conducted a number of witness interviews since Saturday evening. Several hours earlier, the police had visited the home, following a report of concern from an acquaintance of one of the dead.
MURDER INVESTIGATION: The police believe that the woman and the two adult children who were killed at Torpo in Ål were killed while they were sleeping. Photo: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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They were unable to make contact when they sought out the home, but chose to leave the place anyway. When they returned again at around 8pm on Saturday evening, they entered the home and found the four dead.
– Several legally registered weapons were found in the home. Both mother and father in the house had weapons registered on them, and these have been seized, says the police attorney.
Technical examinations have already been carried out on the weapon the police believe was used in the home.
